The Salt Shed was full of bright lights and sick ’80s vibes Wednesday night as Cannons took center stage as a part of its “Afterglow” tour.
Performing alongside acclaimed electronic music duo Bob Moses, Cannons’ hour-long show included a mix of its biggest hits and songs from the band’s new album “Everything Glows.”
After opener Oxis set the venue’s energetic tone with an electronic pop remix of The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside,” Cannons began playing at 8:15 p.m. with its 2023 hit “Loving You.”
Accompanying the song was an impressive, on-stage light show that continued throughout the rest of the performance. For upbeat songs like “Loving You,” the light show was dramatic and energetic, featuring a myriad of colors. However, for other melodic songs like “Purple Sun,” the lighting was darker and more laid back with the only visual being modeled after the song’s namesake — a purple sun.
The band’s full range of talent was obvious in “Carousel,” a song on the “Afterglow” album. While building on Cannons’ previous synth, rock and electric pop styles, “Carousel,” like other songs on the album, captivatingly blends the genres together.
Since genres like synth, rock and electric pop are often defined by either high energy performances or melodic singing, Cannons’ knack for effectively blending styles makes their work much more entertaining. Songs like “Starlight” and “These Nights” are blasts from the past, drawing on ’80s synth and ’70s rock while modernizing the two and infusing a mixture of pop flare into the sound.
Ultimately, the end product was a concert that felt intimate — a feeling that was further aided by lead singer Michelle Joy’s ability to rope the audience in.
At times, Joy guided the audience with a mixture of impressive vocals and lucid on-stage dancing, creating an atmosphere that was both electric and eclectic.
Everyone, from band members to the audience, was fully immersed in the music. There was a noticeable lack of cellphones in the crowd, as concertgoers instead opted to enjoy the music by rocking along and dancing.
That was, until Cannons’ last song of the night, “Fire for You.”
The band’s most famous song to date, which has garnered over 280 million streams on Spotify, had the audience erupt into excitement, raising their phones and cameras to document the moment.
Fittingly, Joy noted that the band played “Fire for You” live for the first time while in Chicago for Lollapalooza in 2021.
In all, the Cannons concert was a show of both highs and lows. They let their music and visuals guide the night, creating an immersive experience of sound and light.
Email: [email protected]
Related Stories:
— A&O Productions announces Rochelle Jordan, camille blackman as Ball performers
— Sound Source: Student DJ Perl answers “Where?” NU students should get their house music
