Menno Versteeg and Islands at Elsewhere in Brooklyn, NY
On September 24th, Islands returned to New York City after a five-year hiatus. They released a new album, Islomania, back in May 2021 through the Canadian indie label Royal Mountain Records. To support this record, they've hit the road and brought former Hollerado frontman - and Royal Mountain founder - Menno Versteeg along for the ride.
Recently branching off into a solo career, Versteeg and his backing band warmed up the crowd with songs that were mostly written in one of the darkest periods of his life. He reflected on the time he spent in Reno, Nevada, over Christmas a couple of years ago, much to the dismay of his friends and family back home in Ontario. Most of these tracks were created during that time out in the desert, and the crowd was grateful to have him around to sing them. However, his set was not all heavy - there were plenty of jokes and heartfelt anecdotes to share, as well as a kazoo solo to finish off “Stop Having Kids”, a song inspired by a man Versteeg encountered at a casino. There was a buzz in the air, as the band was excited to be back on stage after the ongoing pandemic kept them mostly away from playing gigs in front of audiences for the last 18+ months, and the fans were just as excited to reunite. Versteeg left the room with a lot of new listeners in his pocket, eager to see him return.
Canada-born, Los Angeles-based Nick Thorburn revived Islands after a long pause when he couldn't shake the creative bug any longer. The band brought their thoughtful lyrics, funky bass riffs, playful energy, and mesmerizing light show to Brooklyn and had everyone moving and grooving right from the first chord. Thorburn responded to his fans' cries of love and support throughout the show, at one point joking that he had a certain fan beat because while they had driven from North Carolina to see him, he drove out from Los Angeles, which is farther away. His bandmates were thrilled to be shown support for their respective solo projects, which they worked on during Islands' dissolution. All in all, their set felt like a big party - almost like a family reunion of sorts. Ending the night with “Swans”, the room swelled with emotion and a sigh of relief. Islands are back - and so is live music in New York City.
Make sure to keep up with these artists on their socials!
Menno Versteeg: Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
Islands: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify | Youtube
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