On the night of Friday, Nov. 14, Motorco Music Hall hummed with a quiet anticipation: the crowd trickled in slowly at first, orienting themselves with the warmth of the cozy venue as they shook off the cool autumn air from outside. The space itself glowed under amber lights that grounded you in the space, making the room seem smaller in the best possible way. Conversations floated in the air like a soft static: there were couples talking shoulder-to-shoulder, friends leaning into one another and the acknowledgement of strangers as they squeezed past and made their way to the bar.
Before even a single chord was played, the tone of the night had already been established by the affection in the air. There was a hint of electricity as the crowd prepared for the music to come, yet a softness highlighted everybody’s collective eagerness to be moved.
Foxtide, an indie band based in San Diego, California, took the stage first and warmed the audience up. With their opening notes, any remaining tightness in the air loosened. The crowd began to sway, testing the boundaries of the space around them. Lights seamlessly transitioned into deep reds and purples, washing over the faces in the audience and pulling everyone deeper into the evening. Foxtide covered familiar songs that painted the room in a vibrant shade of nostalgia, most notable was their rendition of “Since You’ve Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson, which was greeted by an enthusiasm that was carried from the crowd’s heart into their voice as they loudly sang along…