It is not too often music lovers have the opportunity to see a gold selling artist within the quaint confines of a bar. On Thursday June 12th, that chance came to Amityville, NY where fans gathered to catch singer/songwriter Howie Day perform an intimate show at Amityville Music Hall. Dedicated to the craft of song-writing, Day has been actively performing for eighteen years; achieving mass commercial success with his major label debut Stop All The World Now (2003). Since that time, he has provided a generous amount of new musically colorful songs to dedicated fans while sustaining his integrity as a composer. Excited to see Day take the stage for his first Amityville performance, a nice sized audience gathered early, awaiting for the performance to begin.
Warming up the stage first was up and coming local talent The Como Brothers Band. Based out of Mt Sinai, NY, the core of the band is brothers Andrew (guitars/vocals), and Matt (bass/vocals) Como; which have been crafting music since they were children. Still young and ambitious, at the ages of 23 and 25 years old, the two musicians have put together a series of independently funded releases and working with well-known producer Mike Watts (Adelitas Way, Fuel) on their debut album Baby Steps (2013). Combining jazz, blues, and rock, the brothers took the stage with a Cajon and saxophone providing a full sound of music. Each song they played had a smooth, relaxing vibe with passionate guitar playing by Andrew as both brothers took turns on lead vocals throughout the set. Showing a clear sense of maturity as musicians, the brothers had poise on stage as they performed to the room that also included supporting friends and family wearing t-shirts of the band. The style of The Como Brothers Band playing is definitely something that will appeal to music fans of all ages. The band will be continuing to perform live shows this summer with another big opportunity for exposure August 2nd and 3rd when they open for PJ Morton of Maroon 5.
Dispersing around the room, grabbing a drink or two, the audience soon gathered right back in front of the stage as Howie Day walked out with a warm greeting to everyone. With just himself and an acoustic guitar, he went into older track “Sorry So Sorry”. Belting out on-key vocals filled with emotion and sincerity, Day moved through the set with ease, combining his signature effect pedals into the performance. Playing through songs like “Be There” and the mesmerizing “Bunnies”, Day showed why his live performances are some of the most entertaining and beautifully crafted in modern music. Including crowd favorites like “She Said”, Day also offered up some great new songs like “Peace”, in between the heart touching “No Longer What You Require” and the powerful “Disco”. Bringing each song to life with inspiring passion, Day gave this audience one joyous moment after another. The mood was so relaxed and attentive even Day himself noticed how quiet the room was as they listened to each note he played.
Interacting with the room any moment he had, Day kept everyone loose with his splendid sense of humor and charming personality. Songs like “Sunday Morning”, “Numbness For Sound”, “Everyone Loves a Lie”, and “Favorite Song” had applauds raining down on Day. Showing no signs of fatigue, Day gave the dedicated fan base his biggest hit “Collide”. While his most commercially successful tune to date, the song is no less powerful in 2014 as the height of its popularity a decade ago. With everyone already completely satisfied with the evening, the most magnificent moments were yet to come when Day played “Ghost”. Playing each part separately on guitar, sampling it, and layering each piece over and over until the room was filled with a wall of atmospheric sound was a sight few words can describe. His impeccable sense of mood, and most of all timing, is astounding as he brought this song to electrifying heights. With that, Day concluded the evening with the wonderful “Brace Yourself” and a grateful praise of thanks to the audience for the support.
This was yet another unforgettable performance by Day, which his fans have come to know. In fact, those that know Day and his heart-felt music would argue he is perhaps one of the most talented and overlooked performers in modern music. Still a young performer at the age of 33, Day still has plenty of great years ahead of him, and with new music on the way and steady touring throughout the summer months, it is safe to say this artist still has not reached his ceiling of potential.
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