Live music; it’s an age-old past time that has brought my friends together for years. On a hot summer night in July, location Asbury Park, I had the pleasure of seeing Parachute live at House Of Independents. If you are an avid reader of this column (thank you, by the way), you will have seen I had the chance to chat with the band about the show a few weeks prior. I briefly stopped over at The Stone Pony to catch The Bouncing Souls, of course, because when they come to New Jersey, it’s a must. The crowd was packed there as per usual, so I said my hellos, got a few songs, and off I went.
Now, back to Parachute. They were excited to play as they mentioned during the interview, and just as excited, if not more so, at the show. I arrived at the venue early on in the day to see girls sitting on the hot pavement on Cookman Avenue waiting to get a glimpse of their favorite band. From sound check to show time, the whole night was perfection.
If you haven’t seen Parachute live, they are extremely talented. Each member of the band brings an important element to the table. Lead singer Will Anderson had the crowd in the palm of his hand. He had made it very clear that Asbury Park is one of the band’s favorite cities in the world, and they proved just that. The crowd was into every song, singing every word. They had a perfect setlist as well, playing old and new tunes. I also really enjoyed the kids who brought the bubble machines in the crowd; it brought a perfect element to the show.
At the end of the show, they took a bow and thanked the crowd for one of the “best shows of their tour thus far.” Naturally, the crowd starting cheering and hollering for one more song, and they came out and did just that. Making jokes of how everyone knows the deal with encores, they belted out a few more tunes and kept the mood going right.
Of course, in addition to Parachute, I have to talk about the venue itself for a second. If you haven’t been to House Of Independents yet, I highly recommend you check out their schedule. This venue is beautiful, the sound is great, and it’s an amazing place to catch a show. Everything from the lighting to the bars and bathrooms is beautiful. It definitely is a great place to catch a show, in one of the greatest places in the world to hang.
Overall, Parachute at House Of Independents had me yearning for more shows there; I have my eye on Butch Walker, The Mowgli’s, and so much more. Shout out to all of the fans that waited in the heat all day to hear their favorite band play; it’s people like you that keep me going.
Until the next show, keep on supporting your scene, one week at a time!
