Review: Andy Suzuki and The Method at Songbyrd

The 'Bird Cage' concert venue at Songbyrd Music House barely contained the force of NY-based Andy Suzuki and the Method earlier this month. After performing through a sound check and having to leave the stage due to technical difficulties, the five person band returned with all sounds on for their headlining tour. Showing off his DC Flag and 301 area code tattoos, lead singer Andy Suzuki mentioned that this performance was particularly special for him, as it served almost as a homecoming back to the DC area.

The band quickly got into it. The energy onstage looked borderline chaotic with Andy and percussionist Kozza Olatunji-Babumba running around and vibing with the band and the crowd, but the music was nothing short of a cohesive, full-bodied sound. This was impressive, considering that the mood shifted from song to song. From declarations of love in Keep Me Running, to sweet and sexy vulnerability in Shelter, to scrappy self-preservation in Fight, the crowd stayed engaged and excited about what the band would sing next. The gospel and R&B influences were also hard to miss, showcased in their 80’s R&B inspired I Need You More (The More You Leave) and their effortless cover of Blackstreet’s classic No Diggity.

Later on, Andy and two band members parted the sea of attendees to perform a few acoustic selections in the middle of the crowd, no mics and no amps. How they managed to get the crowd to quiet down enough to hear them is a mystery, but may be due in part to one fervent fan yelling “EVERYBODY SHUT UP.” It worked. Once they settled in, the band dedicated Born Out of Mischief to their mothers and to mothers everywhere. The perfectly harmonized vocals intensified the uplifting melody and reflective lyrics of the song that carries the title of their first studio album.

Back onstage, after getting down to their most popular song on Spotify, I Can’t Live, the band took a well deserved social media break to capture the excitement of everyone who came out, including one special fan who got a Happy Birthday tribute the way that only Suzuki and the Method could do it. The set ended soon after, and the crowd dispersed, taking the uniquely vibrant energy of the band with them into the Adams-Morgan streets.

Keep up with Andy Suzuki & The Method at the links below.

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