The sounds of Mikaela Davis’ harp once again danced through Armory Square in Syracuse, as Davis and her band, Southern Star returned to Funk ’n Waffles for a performance on Friday, December 8. The band last played Syracuse in May, with a stunning three-show residency. Rochester natives Maybird opened the show.
2023 has been quite kind for Davis, the classically trained harpist from Rochester. Davis and her band released their first full length album as a unit, And Southern Star in June. They have played multiple show residencies in various cities through out New York State, which have often seen the shows sell out well in advance. The band recently wrapped up a west-coast tour which saw them opening for indie favorites, The Mountain Goats. They have come together for one final run through Upstate New York before the year closes.
Friday night opened with a set by Rochester natives Maybird. The psychedelic rockers delighted early arrivers to the club, with a forty minute set filled with spacey guitar riffs. Fans packed their way to the front and were quickly engrossed in the band’s psychedelic sounds.
After a brief stage change over, which saw Davis herself drag and tune her harp at center stage, Southern Star joined and the set was under way. Fans were immediately met with the hypnotic harp intro of “Cinderella”, the opening track on the band’s recent release. Slowly the remainder of the band would add their sounds to the mix. The band would follow with the appropriately named “In My Groove”, which had fans dancing and swaying in front of the stage.
While Mikaela Davis and her harp talents may be the primary draw for listeners, Southern Star proved to be anything but a backing band. Through out the set each band member would lay their musical finger prints on the tracks, transforming them from their studio form to live masterpieces. The band would regularly go on extended musical jam sessions during songs, paying homage to their musical inspirations such as Grateful Dead. Tracks like “Leave It” took on new life when paired with Kurt Johnson’s pedal steel, Cian McCarthy’s saxophone, while Shane McCarthy (bass guitar) and Alex Cote (percussion) kept pace. The song, after an extended jam would then flow seamlessly into the rocking “Promise”. It was just one of many moments during the set that showcased the band’s refreshing musical talents.
After a ninety minute set and a brief encore, the band would return to the stage with opener Maybird for an energetic rendition of “Other Lover”. The song would see band members taking turns on various pieces of percussion, including a colander. It was a fun way to wrap up the evening, but still showcase the many musical talents that graced the stage on this evening.
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