The Paper Kites @ World Cafe Live - Philadelphia

November 3rd 2023: The Paper Kites @ World Cafe Live - Philadelphia, PA

Christina Lacy of The Paper Kites - Photos Courtesy of Carolyn Lederach

Australia’s The Paper Kites continued their roadhouse band tour through the states, stopping at Philadelphia’s World Cafe Live on November 3rd. This was my second time catching the band, but my first time as a full 8-piece. I have to say the set was flawless and amazing. The band split their set a bit, playing the first half as a more chill, stripped-back, and sit-down set. All accumulated into the set's second half, which was plugged in and rock.

The Paper Kites’ latest album, At The Roadhouse, has easily become one of my favorite albums of this year, and quite possibly my new favorite Paper Kites album. There’s something utterly soothing and captivating about this album and a rare one you can sit and listen to the whole way through without wanting to skip any tracks. Seeing it live, and with the full roadhouse band, it was truly something amazing. Lead vocalist Sam Bentley touched on the making of At The Roadhouse, which was also something unique. The band curated their own bar to play the tracks from this latest album and it was open to anyone to stop by and listen whenever they were playing. Those songs were perfected over time and turned into this latest album which we can now all cherish forever.