Granada’s majestic and regal architecture may at first glance elicit a detached feeling with an artist, but Saturday night’s performances found a way to bring down the wall between performers and audience and create a truly intimate experience.
The night started out with New York based band, Wet, whose recent announcement for signing with Columbia Records has had audiences anticipating their debut album in January. The trio opened with familiar tunes from their self titled EP, whose ethereal guitar and drum pad backup really showcase front woman Kelly Zutrau’s sweet, yet powerful voice. Wet’s performance takes you through a journey, taking unforeseen turns into an unreleased track off of their upcoming album, Don’t You, and finally reaching the end with their single “Weak,” with touring accompaniment, Duc.
Duc sports a 3 peice brass section, bass, electric guitar, and acoustic drums. The full band was still no match for Zutrau’s voice, which still cut through, with an even more powerful effect. There was no better way to for Wet to go out in style.
The crowd then dispersed, taking an obligatory smoke break, and then headed back inside. By then, Duc, had unexpectedly set up in the back of the room, going back and forth between trumpet and accordion solos. Then in true marching band style, led the crowd to the stage and gave Tobias an entrance to the Rocky Balboa theme song, hyping the crowd for what was yet to come.
Jesso’s entrance was as big as his personality, to say the least. It’s hard not to love the six-foot-seven, baroque pop style musician. Jesso even comments on the size of Granada, while still setting out to be “friends by the end of this.” His charismatic onstage banter between songs fed the crowd and kept dialogue going throughout the set, getting us acquainted with characters such as Kelly, Priscilla, and Cane the drummer.
Onstage chemistry like that of Saturday night is few and hard to come by. You end up leaving with more than just a new respect for the artist, but for the music as well. It takes a certain kind of someone with a huge personality and a big heart to make Granada feel like your best friend’s living room, but that’s exactly what Jesso is all about.
