Has there ever been a time when you’ve wanted to go to a concert just for an opening act but don’t know if it’s worth it? When I heard Laundry Day was opening for Neon Trees, I knew I had to go. Even though I wasn’t an avid Neon Trees listener, I knew I would regret not going. On Monday, Sept. 25, I saw Laundry Day along with Silent Rival open for the iconic “Everybody Talks” and “Animal” singers Neon Trees.
Now, I was wary of buying the ticket for their show at Irving Plaza, because I didn’t know if I would have fun after Laundry Day performed, but I had a blast. My friend and I had been planning to see the band as soon as their 5th album Younger Than I Was Before came out. Laundry Day consists of five 20-something New York natives: Sawyer Nunes, Jude Ciulla-Lipkin, Henry Pearl, Etai Abramovich, and Henry Elias. They are a considerably smaller band, so when they came out onto the stage, I was glad to see a large number of fans cheering for them. Concerts are more fun when the energy is high and it stays at an incredible high during the whole set.
The band performed a majority of the new album and threw in old classics such as “Jane” and “Harvard,” and older songs like “Little Bird.” The band has an amazing stage presence as well and wears school uniforms to match the “academic” theme of their new album. I might be biased because I’ve been listening to their music for a while, but their songs are quite literally addictive. My favorite song off the album is “Girl From Lingeria,” which they performed, and I haven’t stopped listening to, even weeks later. There was not one moment when they weren’t interacting with the crowd especially since it was their homecoming for the tour.
There’s so much I can say, but it all comes down to the fact that they’re simply fantastic performers. The audience certainly agreed. I enjoyed going from softer songs like “Did You Sleep Last Night” to blowing out our neighbors’ eardrum screaming “Y.K.Y.N.U.N.Y,” which lead singer Jude Ciulla-Lipkin graciously took time to help the audience sound out. I also appreciate how every single member of the band is extremely talented. With two lead singers, both boys bring an exceptional amount of talent to the table in differing ways. Sawyer has a smoother softer sound and Jude offers his unique voice to make their songs have a distinctive sound.
After their set, there was huge applause and Neon Trees went on. While hanging out, we ended up meeting a majority of the band and got to talk to them about their set. It was very cool to be able to see performers you like and be able to talk to them about the music they love to make and perform. There wasn’t a point in the show where I didn’t have fun. Especially with the benefit of hearing Neon Trees’ electric performance. It was a 10 out of 10 night.
Buying a concert ticket is totally worth it, even if it is just for the opening act. You’ll have a blast and get to discover new music if you don’t listen to the main band. There’s no harm in exploring new music and going to new music venues. Every venue in New York City is full of history and it’s cool to be a part of that. Lastly, give Laundry Day a listen if you don’t know them or haven’t gotten into their music! Support a New York City band, they might be your new favorite boy band!