Photos and Review by Tanner Rawleigh
When I first heard The Regrettes had not one, but two dates in the Central New York area, I thought I was dreaming. The Regrettes are one of those bands that in my opinion is impossible not to love. Their show here in Syracuse at The Westcott theater this past Thursday was one not to miss. The Regrettes brought along with them Kississippi, the pop/indie folk band from Philadelphia.
Kississippi singer, Zoey Reynolds, gracefully controlled the stage with her powerful voice and presence. Her mic was wrapped with a bright orange boa that seemed designed to draw your eyes toward her as she crooned her way through the band’s impressive set list. A highlight for me was the catchy track “Big Dipper” which I listened to on repeat on my way home from the show that evening. Guitarist, Joshua Hayes, joined Zoey seated on the edge of the stage to treat the front row audience to a very intimate performance, while drummer Karl was in the background keeping the groove flowing. I had no idea what to expect from Kississippi and now they are a staple in all of my playlists. I strongly suggest seeing them live or at least checking out their music.
Up next was The Regrettes. As I waited in the photo pit for them to take the stage, I could feel the energy from the crowd building behind me. As soon as the band hit the stage, the fans went wild. Wasting no time, the Regrettes jumped right into some of their biggest hits. In my opinion, every song the band puts out is a hit. It is rare for a band to put out record where every song is a hit, but the Regrettes seems to pull it off every time they make new music.
Singer Lydia Knight, who is only 21 years old, has been performing for some time now and it shows. Her stage presence is remarkable and alongside her Brooke Dickinson and Genessa Garino form a powerful trio of women who are truly unstoppable. Of course, let us not forget Drew Thomsen on drums who keeps the band tight and brings such an essential part of what makes The Regrette’s music so fun to listen to.
During the set, Lydia jumped down to the railing and performed a cover of Avril Lavigne’s, “Boyfriend” which electrified the crowd even more. We were then treated to a few tracks off their recently announced album Further Joy which is set to release on Warner Records April 8th. As I mentioned before, The Regrettes do not have filler, their songs are all killer, and this upcoming album has already shown to be no exception. Ending the set with an encore where Lydia and Drew switched instruments was another fun treat for the crowd and left them wanting more.
I wish I could do justice with describing the Regrettes live shows, but it is something that you need to see for yourself. The band recently released another string of tour dates to coincide with their new album release. Go check them out, you will not regret it!
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