Pictures and writing by Dillon Reesor
Joywave’s stop at The Underground in Charlotte on October 12th as part of their Permanent Pleasure World Tour was an electric night of indie rock and alt-pop. The tour sports a lean bill composed of headliners Joywave and LA-based rock group Hunny.
Hunny
Flying solo on this tour, vocalist and guitarist Jason Yarger opened the night supported by a pair of touring musicians while the rest of Hunny’s members handle other commitments. Adversity reared its head almost immediately, as Yarger broke a string on his guitar during the first song of the night. In an absolutely bizarre turn of events the frontman would break a string on his other guitar not long into the set, but to their credit neither he nor the band missed a beat on either occasion. Yarger handled the situation with humor, joking about his purple outfit and guitar, and saying the pairing made him look like Grimace. Even with the unfortunate equipment issues, the band sounded great live. The venue filled quickly during the set and the crowd didn’t take long to get on board with the high energy performance. Hunny charged along to end on a high note, with the crowd taking over vocal duties for the set closer “Vowels (And The Importance Of Being Me)”.
Joywave
Then came Rochester, NY’s Joywave, taking to the stage with a polished entrance. The more polished and performative style of Joywave’s set was a perfect followup to the raw energy of Hunny. Vocalist Daniel Armbruster is absolutely captivating on stage, with an almost magnetic draw that makes you follow his every move. He kept it up between songs as well, joking with the crowd at every opportunity. At one point, he humorously referenced The Underground as “the only stage in America I’ve fallen off of,” showcasing his laid-back charm. At another he reminded the crowd to vote in November, quickly clarifying that he was not trying to influence anyone’s vote and each member of the audience was welcome to “look at the candidates and vote for whichever woman you like.”
The setlist was packed with the band’s infectious hooks and groovy rhythms, pulling from a healthy mix of new material and established fan favorites. Joywave delivered a tight musical performance, running through hits like “Tongues” and “Dangerous” as well as celebrating their new era with tracks like “Brain Damage” and “He’s Back”. All night the energy in the venue built, peaking with the arrival of that most beloved of Joywave traditions, double destruction. Listening to the band play the hit song twice to close out the show really was a treat and fans left The Underground on a high note.
Overall, the night was a blend of raw talent, humor, and catchy melodies, with both bands leaving the crowd satisfied, yet hungry for more. The offset from Hunny’s raw performance to the more polished show from Joywave really did enhance the entire experience. As an aside, this marked the second show I’ve photographed this year that featured a giant inflatable cat for a stage decoration. That maybe not a high number, but it certainly is odd that it’s happened twice.
Joywave wraps up the US leg of the Permanent Pleasure World Tour on October 18th before making the trek to Europe. If you’re able to make one of the remaining dates you absolutely should! Check the schedule here.
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