If Melody’s Echo Chamber were to release a recording of their performance at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Sunday, April 2, the second of back-to-back sold out shows, I would buy it immediately. This was their first show in New York City in nearly eight years, and based on how the crowd responded to this one, they won’t have trouble selling out more whenever they come back.
The band was an absolute force on stage from the moment they kicked off their set with “Endless Shore.” And throughout their set, they brought already-excellent songs to life in rollicking fashion while staying true to the vibe established in the studio versions. It’s one thing to listen to a band’s records, but when a band is this good live, getting to feel the music and have it played loud hits harder.
Hailing from France and led by Melody Prochet on vocals in both French and English, synth, and tambourine, the band featured Reinhardt N. Fischer on guitar, bass, and synth, Frederik Swahn on bass and guitar, Johan Holmegard on drums, and Jay Pich on guitar and backing vocals. And all five of them were excellent.
Not that there were any doubts about where the night was going after the first few songs, but “Some Time Alone, Alone” off the band’s self-titled 2013 release was an early standout in the set, showcasing the band’s collective and individual talents. And the setlist was very well crafted, with a mix of songs from all of the band’s studio releases intertwined, with songs from the self-titled album serving as the backbone.
“Quand les Larmes D’un Ange Font Danser la Neige” closed out the main set, and about halfway through the song, Prochet exited the Music Hall of Williamsburg stage, allowing the full focus of the audience to remain on the rest of the band as they blasted through a jam that felt like it could last forever.
As for the encore, the band kicked into the super popular “I Follow You,” one of their catchiest. And they closed out with “Cross My Heart,” the first track off Bon Voyage, another one that felt like time had stopped specifically for the audience to bask in the sound of this incredible band.
If you’re looking to catch the band live and happen to be out west in the fall, they’re playing Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco. Those shows are just days before Desert Daze, and while there’s no lineup info about the festival yet, it wouldn’t be surprising if they wound up playing there, too.
Setlist: Endless Shore, Looking Backward, Mount Hopeless, The Hypnotist, Some Time Alone, Alone; Personal Message, Quand vas-tu rentrer?, Pêcheuse de Lune, Bisou Magique, Unfold, Where the Water Clears the Illusion, Crystallized, Shirim, Visions of Someone Special, on a Wall of Reflection; Alma, Quand les larmes d’un ange font danser la neige
Encore: I Follow You, Cross My Heart
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