Sylvan Esso @ Brooklyn Paramount - Brooklyn, NY
October 14th 2026: Sylvan Esso, Arushi Jain @ Brooklyn Paramount - Brooklyn, NY
Sylvan Esso | Photos Courtesy of: Lesley Keller
On a very unseasonably warm evening amongst a line of excited fans wrapped around the building, I thought back to when I first saw Sylvan Esso onstage in 2013, opening for Volcano Choir. Knowing back then they would be a big deal, seeing their name on the marquee with a “sold out” added on the end made their return to NYC all the more sweeter.
Fans spilled into the venue, filling in the spaces as tightly as they could, eager to get the best spot in the house with enough room to dance. But first, we were treated to what I would say was the perfect appetizer to the evening, Arushi Jain. Jain’s ethereal vocals joined by heaving bass and modular synth swells filled our ears. Largely instrumental, it was the perfect start to the evening - a sound bath to live in for a bit with no clear transition from one song to the next. It was more of an experience than a normal set.
A short set-change later and the band members shuffled onstage to their respective instruments, with Amelia bounding out in a fluffy black tutu and black tank top to match. The crowd roared as the set began with “Entertainment & Coca-Cola”, appropriately bathed in red light. The set included a punchy mix of songs from the Sylvan Esso catalogue, including “Numb,” “Dreamy Bruises,” “Back Again,” “Die Young,” “Play It Right,” “HSKT,” and “Sledge” to name a few, but what was infinitely intriguing about this performance compared to the previous times I’ve seen Sylvan Esso is how much the additional band members’ instrumentation lends to the feel of the songs. Now, I am not one to turn my nose up at the original arrangements - I love a good synth heavy, sparse mix any day of the week. But the added drums, and guitars really gave the songs additional heft and helped the old cuts feel much more cohesive with the songs from Ow ∞. Over the years, this duo has done such an incredible job of expanding their sound, while still keeping the core instrumentation and vocals ever-present. The crowd responded gleefully throughout the night by dancing and jumping around wildly, mirroring Amelia’s joyful movements onstage. Hearing the crowd yell “ESSO!” during “HSKT” was another highlight that brings a smile to my face each time I think about it.
But a Sylvan Esso show isn’t complete without some hilarious human moments - Nick’s computer setup somehow malfunctioned directly after “Play It Right,” which he quipped it was the crowd’s fault for being “too hyped,” and of course that gave Amelia the perfect segue to tell a story about how she almost hit some teens while driving in North Carolina. The crowd laughed at the insertion of the story during that moment, then yelped for the North Carolina shoutout, which frankly, I’m shocked there was that much North Carolina representation in Brooklyn, and finally Nick got his computer working and the show churned on. Part of me seriously wondered what other time-filling stories Amelia would conjure up, but luckily for us, that would have to wait until the next show.
Arushi Jain
Bikini Kill @ Brooklyn Paramount - Brooklyn
September 7th, 2024: Bikini Kill, Birthday Girl @ Brooklyn Paramount - Brooklyn, NY
Bikini Kill | Photos Courtesy of: Edwina Hay
On Saturday, September 7th, Bikini Kill began their two-night stand at Brooklyn Paramount in Brooklyn, NY. The influential punk band are wrapping up their summer tour and scheduled two nights in New York City at Brooklyn Paramount.
Brooklyn Paramount opened earlier this year, hosting live music in the space for the first time in nearly 50 years. The site is a former movie palace and was a sports venue up until the multi-million dollar renovation by Live Nation.
Starting the evening promptly at 8 PM was Brooklyn band Birthday Girl. The sextet warmed up the all-ages crowd, who mostly filled the main room despite numerous people standing in line to buy merchandise or still arriving at the show. Singer/songwriter Eva Smittle cited the headlining act as an influence and expressed appreciation to the band for adding them to this exciting bill.
Bikini Kill then appeared on stage shortly after 9 PM with Kathleen Hanna starting their set with the powerful lyric, “We’re Bikini Kill, and we want revolution girl style now!” and beginning “Double Dare Ya.” The quartet, also comprised of Tobi Vail, Kathi Wilcox, and Sara Landeau opened with BK’s earliest material (“Carnival,” “New Radio,” and “Don’t Need You”) before visiting songs from their full-length records, Pussy Whipped and Reject All American. With no new material to promote, the band played everything old to the delight of everyone in attendance. The audience sang along and danced throughout the whole show with members rotating roles on songs. Tobi left the drum kit to sing “Distinct Complicity,” “Hamster Baby,” and “Tell Me So” with Kathi or Sara taking over drum duties and Kathleen moving over to play bass. Their set concluded with ”Suck My Left One,” “Jigsaw Youth” and a one-song encore of “Rebel Girl” which is now a timeless anthem.
Bikini Kill disbanded in 1997 and was a band that I never imagined witnessing live one day, especially as someone who discovered them towards the end of their life. Before beginning, “I Like Fucking,” Kathleen shared that she never wanted to play that song before their breakup but now she finds joy in it. Being in a room where mostly everyone is singing along and enjoying music made by four badass women truly is a joyful experience and I’m extremely grateful for Bikini Kill and that gift.
Birthday Girl
