Utah-based indie rock quartet The Backseat Lovers took to the Webster Hall stage on Thursday, February 24th, for the Turning Point Tour. As a longtime fan of the band (probably a few years now), I naturally had to make the long commute to see them. Expectedly, I was nothing short of impressed.

I’ve heard this band is one that MUST be seen live to really capture the essence of their music. After experiencing the concert, I understand this take. The dynamics of their music, artistic spirits, and passion for what they do were all amplified through the performance.

The show began with the opening act Over Under, another young Utah-based indie rock group. Though I didn’t walk into the show familiar with any of their music, they held my interest the entire time. As an opening act, they fit perfectly alongside The Backseat Lovers, with similar energy and a clear love for what they do. They had a familiar electric-guitar based indie sound, with the charm of a young up-and-coming group about to make their big break.

Then came time for what I’d been looking forward to for months – The Backseat Lovers were about to take the stage. I befriended a few nearby fans in the crowd, and they raved about how experiencing their music live did more for listeners than the recording ever could. Though surprising, because I thoroughly enjoy the recordings, it made a lot of sense. The band’s music is not super cut-and-dried. The dynamics of their songs tend to change and/or build as they go along (songs “Watch Your Mouth,” “Sinking Ship,” and “Just a Boy” are great examples of this). A live performance is the best way to emphasize that quality.

Those surrounding fans were absolutely correct. The show was on the second floor of Webster Hall, and as it went on, I could feel the floor beneath me shaking from fans getting so into the music. Technically, each of the four band members was extremely skilled in performance, not to mention they are all relatively young (in their early twenties). They quite literally never missed a beat, capturing the aforementioned dynamic changes perfectly. The music’s rising and falling intensity was technically executed and perfectly organized as setlists go. 

On top of their musical talents, the band was extremely charming in a fan-connection type of way. Frontman Josh Harmon seemed like a genuinely humble person, appreciative of all that was in front of him. He thanked the crowd numerous times for being so respectful, which is not something I, an avid concert-goer, have heard often from artists.

What I love about smaller bands/shows like this is that you can connect with the artists on a very personal level. The Backseat Lovers certainly took advantage of that. I attended this show with a friend who isn’t a huge concert-goer, and the biggest thing that stood out to her was that “you can really tell they love what they’re doing.” Looking up at that stage, watching them put their all into a performance, you can feel how much they enjoy what they do and what their art means to them. This helps fans connect to the music even more, knowing that it has such a profound impact on not just themselves individually but also the artists and other fans. It’s a very validating feeling.

The Backseat Lovers are certainly a group I would see again. I’d imagine seeing them live again wouldn’t feel like a copy of what I’ve already seen, but rather a new, immersive experience. They connect with the audience exceptionally well and feel far from robotic as performances go. Along with this, they’ll likely release new music soon; they mentioned a new album at the show and even played a couple of songs from it. Combining new music with their passion for performance would create another worthwhile experience. Whether you’ve seen them already or not, I recommend you get out to one of their shows.

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