Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Live Review - Haim at Webster Hall

Earlier this year, we picked California sisters, Haim, as a Rising Artist that you should watch out for. We picked them just after they became the talk of SXSW in March and did what Alabama Shakes did a year before. Thanks to their catchy songs, thrashing riffs, and incredible live shows, Haim have gone on to become a festival staple all summer. With the release of their debut, Days Are Gone, slated for this month, Haim had a lot to celebrate as they headlined a sold-out Webster Hall in New York City on Tuesday night.

Just as the lights in the iconic venue went down around 9:30, a chorus of screams could be heard from the crowd as they anticipated Haim taking the stage. As they did, Webster Hall erupted into a deafening  sea of men and women stoked to extend their Labor Day weekend with the California sorority. Opening with "Better Off," and then into "The Wire," fans were ready for a lively night and Haim were more than willing to deliver. Nearly every song, each sister swapped instruments from guitars to drums to keyboards to bass, all traded vocal duties while older sister, Este was the lead, and backed by a touring drummer on a kit, Haim made it a family affair and something they were so proud of. Alana Haim at one point told the crowd, "I spent my 21st birthday in New York City, but this tops this," it was an achievement to sell-out Webster Hall but to do it all before the release of a debut album and only based on singles, an EP, and buzz, Haim lived up to the hype. In their hour long set, which featured a hypnotic light show, fantastic musicianship, and awesome stage persona's, Haim's only issue was that they did not have enough material in their locker to keep on going, but that will be for next time when they are headlining a bigger venue.