Australian alternative and psychedelic rock unit Ocean Alley brought their vibrant sound and good vibes to Brooklyn on July 26 as a part of their 2025 North American tour.

Initially formed in 2011 covering the likes of Oasis, Pink Floyd, and Jimi Hendrix, Ocean Alley has been active for just shy of a decade and a half carving out their own distinct reggae, alternative, psychedelic rock-shaped niche into the music scene.

Remaining entirely independent since their inception, Ocean Alley has released two EPs and four studio albums which are soon to be accompanied by Love Balloon, the band’s prospective studio album slated for release later this mid-September.

Anticipation for Love Balloon only heightened their fanbase’s excitement for Ocean Alley’s current and upcoming tour docket through North America with support by independent soul and rock duo Bird and Byron, which brought the bands onto the stage of New York City’s own Brooklyn Paramount on July 26.

As the first of many audience members trickled into the Brooklyn Paramount’s stunning interior, a glowing energy quickly became evident. Call it excitement, the joy of shared company, or something in between, but each person seemed to beam with joy as they approached the barricade- whether bouncing on their heels as they sped down the raked floors or jovially jumping into a heel click as one floral button-up clad man did to a smattering of cheers from the steady flow of people, it was as if the audience was drawn to the center stage by a sense of anticipatory magnetism.

While friends gathered and passed around phones for the obligatory group photo and others posed to show off their carefully chosen get-ups for the evening, the pre-show tracks on the speakers above became noticeable just below the warm hum of chatter and laughter.

Standouts include Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s “So Good at Being in Trouble,” which lulled me into a false sense of laid-back familiarity and small head bops before shifting into “Starburster” by Fontaines D.C., a personal favorite from their discography that startled a giddy laugh out of me at the sudden dial-up in intensity, followed by the absolute classic that is “One of These Nights” from the Eagles.

While wildly different on paper, a steady thread was being woven through these tracks- they had successfully curated a playlist that promised both sharp musicality and let-loose jam-outs… which was exactly what was delivered once Bird and Byron took to the stage, formally beginning the night’s revelry.

Having recently declared that “Music with soul is coming back” on their Instagram, it’s not difficult to disagree with Bird and Byron’s undeniable talent and clear grasp on their sound, weaving the sounds of soul with the attitudes of today flawlessly.

At times sharing the beach-tinged shades of Ocean Alley’s production as with “It’s Been Too Long (Since I’ve Loved Someone)” and at others leaning full-on into the grit that their instrumentation and vocals can also lend themselves to- as seen in their Ozzy Osbourne tribute performed halfway through their set- Bird and Byron’s strength certainly lies in their deft sense of atmosphere-creating… a skill that had clearly been put to use as the band performed, having crafted the perfect energy in the room for Ocean Alley’s performance ahead.

As the initial fervor for Bird and Byron’s set petered into a more even, simmering excitement for the headlining performance ahead, I found myself leaned against the wall as the impact of the pre-show-turned-interlude playlist genuinely threw my balance off with “Rather Be Lonely” by Don West. One of many examples I offer when trying to describe the punch-gut feeling particularly breathtaking music evokes in my chest and a personal favorite at large, the song’s unexpected appearance simultaneously made perfect sense and heightened my eagerness for what Ocean Alley had in store even further.

Opening with the iconic guitar riff of “Tangerine,” Ocean Alley officially took the stage. Between the audience’s simmering excitement finally bubbling over into pure elation and Ocean Alley’s glowing presence on stage (assisted by some gorgeous lighting work that haloed each member mesmerizingly), it became very clear very quickly that the night was not one to be spent standing still.

As the band settled further into their vibrant set of initial tracks, even the most reserved concert-goer finds at least a little back-and-forth bob within themselves. The highly anticipated title track “Love Balloon” further accentuated this effect- with shimmering saturated magentas and baby blue hues floating over the members of Ocean Alley and scattering further across the crowd, dancing seemed like the only logical next step.

As my distance from the stage increased, so did the concentration of boogy fever. No one stood alone; groups of people gathered to sing, spin, and smile with one another. Friend groups, families, couples, coworkers, strangers, acquaintances- none of it mattered when everyone’s hands were in the air.

During a lull between songs lead singer Baden Donegal noted that the night marked the biggest headlining show Ocean Alley had done in New York to date, causing the crowd to cheer even louder and smile even wider… It was a beautiful thing to see, watching fans of the group realize the evening meant just as much to the band that it did to themselves.

At a certain point it became quite difficult to pinpoint a singular source behind the atmospheric warmth to the room. Maybe it was the undeniable honeyed tinge to each song’s tone, the shifting vibrant pastel streaks of light that bathed the Paramount in saturation, or maybe even the ocean of beaming smiles from the crowd… It was all bright. Not in the way of blinding or piercing, but in the same manner that the warmth of a syrupy summer sunset hits your skin. Something deeply warm and familiar.

Waxing poetic aside, the good times were certainly flowing… and so were the drinks, given the amount of cans grasped in hands excitedly gesturing during the crowd’s favorite verses and lines.

Returning to the very beginning with Ocean Alley’s debut single “Mellow Yellow” before jumping into the future with an unreleased track off of Love Balloon titled “Drenched,” the show was in full swing. Audience members swayed, sang along, and a brave few even sat atop their friend’s shoulders as everything from the shimmery tone of the bass to the kick of the drums hit perfectly as a subtle buzz atop the skin.

With the conclusion of the evening in mind, Ocean Alley pulled out all of the stops. First offering a stunning rendition of yacht rock royalty Player’s “Baby Come Back” (which prompts the kind request for a fully fleshed-out cover album, given at least three audience members in my proximity noted how perfectly the track fit their tonality) before swinging another hard-hitter- the group’s most successful track with just shy of 246 million streams as of writing, “Confidence,” the night’s energy refused to peter out.

Logic lent itself to understanding the night was coming to its end, but nothing could put a damper on the Paramount’s glow that evening… the crowd instead took it in stride and celebrated to their absolute fullest.

Upon “departing” the stage for the evening, the crowd almost immediately broke out into cheers for “one more song!” While certainly a little blurred at the edges with two or three points of origin, the fanbase’s unrestrained love for Ocean Alley’s performance was impossible to miss as a few minutes passed with genuinely unrelenting cheers… something I had yet to see in an audience.

Returning with the grainy, sunshine-washed “Touch Back Down” as their encore, Ocean Alley’s evening at the Brooklyn Paramount left the room and the crowd awash with the unrelenting joy music can bring well after the lights had dimmed and its doors had closed.

Bird and Byron | July 26, 2025 | Brooklyn Paramount