It was an unseasonably cool evening. If you had not looked at the calendar month, you would have imagined it were October, not approaching May. The wind was crisp and excitement was in the air. A cue of people lined Bleecker Street, patiently awaiting to see the Danish duo that is Quadron, presented by the lovely folks at Giant Step. The crowd was calm, impeccably dressed, and oozed good taste. Rightfully so, as the music of Quadron is meant for a more discerning type of listener. Call them an audiophile if you will.
Movement indoors began in the minutes after 10:30 PM, a little late for a show, but exciting as such shows are devoid of openers. Concert-goers have the pleasure of sinking their teeth right into the main course; the headliner. Once inside, a crowd slowly took shape along the front of the stage, setting up shop for the sounds of the evening. A DJ played soulful tunes prior to the main event, almost teasing fans for what was to come.
In the 11 o’clock hour, Coco O. appeared on stage with a full band. This was something new, and Coco explained that they had four days to practice prior to the show. I’m sure this made a few fans nervous, but I can confidently say that was four days well-spent. They performed tracks from their debut album, seasoned with a few new tracks from their follow-up Avalanche, to be released on Vested in Culture/Epic in June. Robin Hannibal does not perform live with Quadron, but happily watched on from the crowd near stage right.
The show not only brought out fans, but fellow musicians. Spotted in the crowd were Jessie Ware (I choked and didn’t say hello), Raphael Saadiq, and Emily King. The crowd grooved and sang along to familiar tracks, “Tone”, “Slippin”, “Day”, “Jeans”, and “Pressure”. I was a bit disappointed that my favorite song, “Horse”, was not performed, but the live experience satisfied my anticipation and expectations after nearly two years of listening to their music.
Their set winded down with current single “Hey Love” and “Neverland”, a tribute to one of Coco’s favorite musicians, Michael Jackson. It was in this moment that you can truly hear how much Michael impacted her tone. It was reminiscent of Michael in the Jackson 5 at points, crooning and full of vigor. Adding to this celebration of Michael, Coco came back for an encore and performed her rendition of “Baby Be Mine”; so sweet and so well executed.
This show was everything I had imagined from Quadron and a little more. It makes me even more excited for the new album, which I’m sure will delight audiophiles the world over. They are a musical force to be reckoned with.
*All photos by Andrea K. Castillo
A Life in the Day of Andrea 