“I noticed you being polite,” Julia Cumming, lead vocalist/bassist of the New York-based trio Sunflower Bean, said to the crowd at Off Broadway when they took the stage Saturday night. She was speaking about watching everyone during opener Barrie’s set.
And the politeness continued throughout much of Sunflower Bean’s more stripped-down performance until they slid into the noisier and driving “Beat the Odds” and “Wall Watcher” toward the end of their set which got the crowd jumping and cheering.
“It feels so good to scream after all this time,” Cumming said. “Celebrating that we can all be in this room today.”
At one point Cumming joked, “This is the first time I’m wearing this outfit and all I can think about is the girlfriend in Waynes World,” referring to Tia Carrere’s Cassandra character.
Someone from the audience asked, “Did you all coordinate?” To which Cumming quipped, “Can you really call it coordinating when everyone’s wearing black?”
Seven of the 12 songs performed at Off Broadway in St. Louis were from their third studio album Headful of Sugar to be released on May 6, 2022. Which is something you should put on your radar.
Barrie, named for Barrie Lindsay, opened the night with a choreographed set. Which is why the crowd was seen as polite to Cumming as all eyes and ears were fully engaged. The color-coordinated foursome mostly moved as one as Lindsay sang dreamily and quietly during the 25-minute set. The Brooklyn-based performer noted it was her first time in St. Louis and that her grandparents were from St. Louis. Next up for Barrie is SXSW and a new album, Barbara being released on March 25.
Find all photos online here: https://bit.ly/SunBean22cz