Sunflower Bean’s Triumphant Homecoming
Julia Cumming. Sorry the pics are so lame, but the BSZ photog couldn’t make it. At least one EV pro photog was there, so some real photos should be posted shortly.
It’s been a happy few weeks for East Village rockers Sunflower Bean. Their new record, Headful of Sugar, dropped to rave reviews; they were crowned “New York’s scrappiest rock band” in a two page spread in the print version of Rolling Stone; and on Thursday they held a triumphant NYC homecoming at a packed and engaged Webster Hall.
Their new record, Headful of Sugar, is being sold by Urban Outfitters
Their 15-song set leaned heavily on the new record, which they performed with grace and power almost in its entirety. Their sound spanned the genre pallet from dream pop to grunge and some songs, like the lovely vocal duet “I Was a Fool” from 2018’s Twentytwo in Blue, included both. In addition to Rolling Stone’s glowing treatment, Pitchfork called Sunflower Bean “the embodiment of what’s hot and what’s not” and NME said the new record is full of “strength, empowerment, resilience and joy.”
Another picture by my iphone: Julia talks to the crowd.
Commanding the stage like a mash-up between Lady Gaga and Kim Gordon, Cumming addressed the crowd lustily and often. She dedicated Otherside — the threatening heart-breaker with the lyrics “Through thе grief and tears, I cannot hide. I'll see you, see you, see you on the other side” — to “every woman in this room.” And she represented for The B, noting that she grew up at Ave B and 14th St.
Photo by Gloria Sangirard Jung @gloriasangirardijung
During Who Put You Up to This, hundreds of very real looking $100 bills dropped on the crowd from on-high. Oddly, there was no mad scramble for the bogus bucks, with most of the bills fluttering harmlessly to the floor.
From Sunflower Beans Insta page @sunflowerbean.
The Webster Hall show must have been a singular moment for the band, one they seemed to embrace with gusto. Was it drummer Olive Faber’s birthday, she seemed to have quite a fan club in attendance? And was that Julia’s proud mom getting all emotional in the audience?
Cumming with guitarist Nick Kivlen.
Here’s an approximation of the setlist:
Headful of Sugar (Headful of Sugar)
In Flight (HoS)
Twentytwo. (22 in Blue)
Otherside (HoS)
Roll the Dice (HoS)
Baby Don't Cry (HoS)
Easier Said (Human Ceremony)
I Don't Have Control Sometimes (HoS)
I Was a Fool (22 in Blue)
Who Put You Up To This? (HoS)
Beat the Odds (HoS)
Wall Watcher (Human Ceremony)
Feel Somebody (HoS)
Shake