There isn’t a single genre of music that fully encapsulates the sound of both Chicago-based band Wild Belle and their opener James Supercave. On the first stop of their nationwide tour, the groups graced the visitors of The Sett with an energetic show. The venue was filled with college students and adults alike who began enjoying the show seated at the tables. By the end of the show, there wasn’t much room to even move around.
The Los Angeles group James Supercave opened up the night with songs from their new album Better Strange. With a powerful combination of electric guitar, infectious drumming and groovy synths, the band managed to draw more people out of their seats as their set progressed.
High-energy guitar and drums countered the synths that, at times, gave off a dark and haunting air. Combined with the electric feeling of the instruments, the lead singer’s voice added an extra layer to increasing excitement from the audience. His voice, while very calm and relaxing, was able to easily belt out lyrics for their more upbeat songs.
In retrospect, the combo James Supercave’s creative synths and awesome guitar playing served as a perfect opener for the jazzy funk-inspired psychedelic reggae music that Wild Belle would soon perform.
After just a short wait, Wild Belle took the stage. The group drew aspects from more genres than you would ever expect. Simply put, their music was a well-executed mash-up of ’90s alternative, psychedelic rock, reggae, ska and touches of funk and jazz. The lineup of instruments was just as diverse. Drums, electric guitar and bass would all be expected, but the band also used conga drums, shakers, a cowbell and even a saxophone.
Performing mostly songs from their new album Dreamland, Wild Belle fed off of an electric audience. In a venue as small and intimate as The Sett, it was easy for everyone to pack in close to the stage and experience the energy coming from them. Cheers could be heard from everyone in the audience when the band started playing their hit song “Throw Down Your Guns.”
As a whole, the members of Wild Belle worked extremely well together. The backup singer/tambourine player who entertained the audience with her fantastic vocals and dancing, the exciting percussionist who gave the songs an extra pop with his conga playing and the saxophone solos were some of the most captivating aspects of the show.
Despite these high points, there were moments of tension. During a couple different songs, the drummer came into the chorus too early after a few of the verses. It’s probably true that most people in the audience didn’t notice the mixup in timing, but the mistake caused some of the other band members to show little bursts of frustration, which were definitely noticeable.
