Joywave and Sir Sly w/ Donna Missal
Neptune Theatre, Seattle, WA
11.09.18
There are some moments in life when all the stars seem to align, everything falls into place, and something is just right. That’s how I felt when I saw Sir Sly and Joywave (i.e. “Slywave”) posting about their upcoming co-headline tour. With the faces of Sir Sly comically photoshopped onto a Joywave press photo and vice versa, the tour seemed like something sent straight from heaven—and it really was.
At the historic Neptune Theatre in Seattle, the night opened beautifully with Donna Missal, yet another bonus for the tour. Missal was here a few months ago opening for King Princess at The Crocodile and I was super happy to hear she was coming back around because this girl is amazing. She started her performance very mellow, singing softly into her mic, standing mostly in one place and not moving much.
By the next song, however, she was dancing all over the stage and belting out her lyrics; and by the end of her set she was laying on the stage screaming so intensely I’m actually shocked she didn’t lose her voice. Missal crushes her set every single time, shows off her beautifully dynamic voice, and her dancing between songs is always a plus.
The first of our co-headliners for the night was Sir Sly, an incredible trio of guys that Seattle, unfortunately, hasn’t seen since last January. It’s clearly been far too long. They’re popular on our alternative radio stations for “&Run” and “High,” but their most recent album, Don’t You Worry, Honey is straight gold. They’ve got this super unique electronic-indie kind of sound that never gets old.
Their set opened with “Gold,” an old school favorite and then just took off from there. Hearing lead singer Landon Johnson’s stories of divorce and his mother’s cancer makes their performance of “Oh Mama” almost painful to hear, but it gives their performance a new depth that connects fans with the band even more.
Finally, Joywave capped off the night with another one of their iconic performances. These guys have been through Seattle quite a few times in recent years, and they’re always really fun to see. The dynamic between the band members is super comical and kind of dorky-awkward, and that branding works perfectly for them. With light-up sign on stage with them, offering instructions for the audience, such as “applause,” “vape,” and “boo,” Joywave will have you laughing as much as you’re singing along.
Their set opened fittingly with “Blastoff,” and they played through all the tracks that have launched them into the alternative scene recently. “Little Lies You’re Told” and “It’s a Trip” were effortlessly well-received by the crowd of fans who happily cheered them on.
When I first saw those Instagram announcements for the Slywave tour with Donna Missal I was in shock. How could a tour so perfect come to be? What if it doesn’t live up to everything I want it to be? But I guess the worrying was pointless—Slywave’s night at The Neptune literally brought tears to my eyes it was so lovely, and easily exceeded any expectations I had for the night.
Review and photos by Lulu Dawson
Joywave
Sir Sly
Donna Missal
