On Wednesday, Sept. 13, Mae headlined at the Henry Fonda Theater accompanied by The New Amsterdams and Vedera. The concert featured three bands who are outstanding performers and great musicians, yet none have a major record deal. This was the third time I had seen Mae in concert, and the first time I had seen either Vedera or The New Amsterdams.
Mae took the stage last, playing an hour-long set that captivated the crowd with energy and enthusiasm.
Mae’s set featured songs “Embers and Envelopes,” “Summertime,” “Painless,” “Suspension,” “Mistakes We Knew We Were Making,” “Anything,” “The Everglow,” “The Ocean,” “We’re So Far Away,” “Someone Else’s Arms” and a new song titled “Crazy Eights” from their upcoming CD set to begin recording next month.
All were well-played and well-received by the crowd. The band kept the concert fresh by playing a variety of music and trying different songs that it has not performed at previous shows.
Two hours earlier, Vedera opened the concert with a 25-minute set showcasing an indie/alternative sound while playing several songs from its debut album, “The Weight of an Empty Room,” which was released earlier this summer. The band, headed by lead singer Kristen May, played with lots of energy and enthusiasm.
However, it had the typical problems of an opening act at a concert: Vedera was not understandable when singing and lacked audience enthusiasm as many people were unfamiliar with the songs. Vedera was a solid opening act considering its lack of stage experience. This was the band’s first tour since the album came out.
The New Amsterdams followed with a 35-minute set bringing their unique sound to the stage.
The three piece band, performing with an acoustic guitar, bass and drums, featured a mellow sound that slowed the pace of the concert. People walk heading away from the floor and back to the bar within 10 minutes. The music, although well-played and sounding exactly like the CD, was not well-received by the crowd due to the tempo.
At the end of their set, The New Amsterdams played four upbeat songs which brought the crowd back, but the initial style of music did not make for a very exciting set.
Mae was able to pick it back up and entertain the crowd. The tour, which wrapped up in Irvine as part of the Uprising Festival, was an all-around concert.
