Review: Neon Indian at 9:30 Club
While it may seem like only yesterday that his sun-soaked and endlessly groovy synth
pop, then dubbed “chillwave,” shook the indie scene, Alan Palomo, better known as Neon Indian, is a seasoned veteran of the music industry at this
point.
His debut album Psychic Chasms turned ten this year — a birthday that surely elicited at least a couple stunned reactions.
Despite the incessant passage of time and Palomo’s natural aging with it, he has not lost a step in regard to his songwriting ability nor his stage presence, made clear by his electric performance at D.C.’s famed 9:30 Club on November 16. Now 31, the singer and multi-instrumentalist, accompanied by four bandmates, effortlessly glided through a career-spanning set, even playing a number of well-received covers and brand new songs set to be released on the next Neon Indian album.
Palomo somehow presents himself simultaneously humbly yet confidently while on stage. The band began their set with three consecutive cuts from their excellent 2016 record VEGA INTL. Night School. and, while at first it appeared that Palomo was still acquainting himself with the crowd and stage, by the time they broke in to their third song, “The Glitzy Hive,” he was in total control of the show and crowd.
The crowd remained engaged even for Neon Indian’s newer, lesser-known songs. In fact, when the band played “Toyota Man,” a song that will be on their upcoming album, it seemed like the entire crowd could not help but dance to its tight groove. It is also important to note that “Toyota Man” is decidedly more politically-charged than much of Neon Indian’s past music. Featuring a Latin-influenced groove and a chorus sung in Spanish that translates to, “We came to study, we want to work /And though they want to deny it, we are all Americans,” the song shows that Palomo’s writing has been influenced by changes in the political and social climate during the past four years. It shows that Palomo has been examining his own identity as an immigrant
and, as he weaves this in to his songs, exhibits his growth as a songwriter and musician.
The set peaked when the band played “Deadbeat Summer,” a standout track from Palomo’s debut album, Psychic Chasms. Likely the first Neon Indian song many people ever heard, it remains endlessly catchy and danceable, even ten years later. Not ready to leave just yet, the packed crowd demanded an encore. In response, the band played “Polish Girl” and “Hex Girlfriend” from their sophomore effort Era Extraña before playing a couple covers. They closed out the night with an impressively accurate rendition of the Talking Heads’ classic “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody).”
Overall, it was heartening to see a more mature Palomo execute such an engaging set on his second-ever gig at the storied 9:30 Club. Even though Neon Indian is over ten years old now, Palomo retained his humility through it all, even coming out to the merch booth after the show to engage with his fans.
It is this type of dedication to his craft and attention to the folks appreciating it that hooked people on his music in the first place, brought them out to the club for this show, and will likely help Neon Indian retain current fans and gain new ones. I, personally, cannot wait to see what he does next.
Check out more photos from Neon Indian’s set below.
