Pearlpalooza offers a mixed bag
It was the day of the woman at Pearlpalooza this year. Excepting local support Good Fiction and El Modernist, the four national recording acts on the bill were all fronted by female vocalists. As a result, the Weqx-curated event served to both highlight what’s current in indieand-alternative rock and the wide range and differing styles of talented women artists performing in the genre.
Of the performers, co-headliner Caroline Rose stood out the most. Rose was charismatic and on point, playing a set that drew largely on “Loner,” her 2018 release that earned critical acclaim for Rose’s expanded alt-pop soundscape and wry, sarcastic lyrics. During “Money,” Rose chugged a beer and crushed the can on her forehead, played a recorder and introduced her band, then launched back into the song. “Bikini” was a revved-up lampoon of surf rock and her cover of the Britney Spears hit “Toxic” served as a reminder of what a well-composed piece of pop that song is. After her set, she had fans milling about to meet her and snag an autograph and Rose looked genuinely excited and pleased to interact with everyone.
This was Greeting Committee’s second appearance at Pearl Palooza, and the band delivered a lively set. Lead singer Addie Sartino led the band, her outsized vocals working perfectly for the group’s ’90s-inspired post-grunge palette. Between songs Sartino consistently engaged with the audience, discussing Greeting Committee’s enthusiasm to once again be playing Pearlpalooza, noting the band’s debut album will be officially released in October and telling stories behind a few of the tunes they played. Tracks “17” and “Hands Down” rocked, the big riffs and energy serving to fire up the crowd before Rose’s set.
Los Angeles-based Kitten played a fun set. On record (or Spotify, depending on your listening habits), the band’s sound is synth-laden and lush. Live, the five-piece band sounded beefier, less textured and more like an ’80s rock band. Think Scandal, that Patty Smyth-led band, and “The Warrior.” Chloe Chaidez, Kitten’s leader, and the rest of the band were full of vigor, dancing and bounding across the stage and playing hard.
The main headliner, Superorganism, was the biggest letdown. The seven-piece indie pop band offered up a 40-minute set that felt lethargic coming after Rose’s exuberant performance. Apart from announcing that the next two songs would be their last, Superorganism frontwoman Orono Noguchi said nothing to the audience. During songs, she didn’t move and could barely be seen. The backup trio of B, Ruby and Soul danced in synchronization and seemed to be having fun, but there looked to be a disconnect between everyone else on stage and Noguchi. The synth-pop closers of “Everybody Wants to be Famous” and “Relax” were well performed and fun to hear, but overall the set just felt off. Overall it was just a slight downer of a conclusion to an otherwise upbeat afternoon.
Jim Shahen Jr. is frequent contributor to the Times Union.