If you were in the mood to shake your posterior last night, First Avenue was the place to be. Brit synth pop duo Years & Years brought their Palo Santo tour to Minneapolis.
First up was Australia’s Jess Kent. Fans were treated to songs from her (almost finished) album. Older songs had them singing along. It was glaringly obvious that I was the only clueless one at First Ave. I quite liked her set and a couple of her songs are new additions to my thumbs up playlist.
Next on stage was CYN, who recently joined Katy Perry’s Unsub Record label. Her style is more straightforward pop than Kent’s. There was one song about a bubble bath (haven’t been able to find it yet, so maybe it’s new) that was quite playful.
Set List: Believer / I Can’t Believe / Bubble Bath / Only With You / Terrible Ideas / I’ll Still Have Me / Alright / Lonely Gun / Holy Roller
Years & Years wasted no time opening with their current single “Sanctify”. I had heard some of their material prior but found myself surprised by the energy and fun coming from them. The band had a very nice stage setup with LED symbols in the background and a couple of backup singers. There’s something about British pop band singers – often their charisma on stage goes through the roof leaving other nations in the dust. Olly Alexander is a shining example of said charisma. One seconds he’s close and intimate with the crowd, next he’s dancing all over the stage.
Years & Years music is upbeat and it’s almost impossible to stand still when listening to it. I had a great time and judging by the smiles and sweaty clothes of fans at First Ave, I was far from the only one.
Set List: Sanctify / Take Shelter / Shine / Eyes Shut / Karma / Ties / Desire / Palo Santo / Rendezvous / Worship / Hallelujah / Gold / If You’re Over Me
Encore: All for You / King
