It was a quiet Sunday night on the streets of Detroit. Even the parking lots surrounding the Magic Stick were quieter and emptier than usual. There was little noise in the venue’s neon hallways or bowling alley and lounge area. The only sign of life was the sound of Silent Diane that grew louder and louder which each step up the stairs. The crowd was small at this point, but dense — packed around the small stage on the left side of the venue, eyes glued to the self-described dream/synth/wave/soul/drone duo made up of Christine Aprile and Malcom Elijah Welbourne — both of whom were working up a sweat on stage. Both impressive and intriguing at the same time, they are the kind of act that is bound to gain popularity at any minute, but for the time being is making the rounds, leaving audiences wanting more.
Silent Diane was followed by Lemonade — a San Francisco turned Brooklyn-based trio with a set of entirely different yet equally entertaining and danceable tunes, great energy and glowing drumsticks. (Who could ask for more?) As the venue began to fill up, those in attendance were getting their dancing shoes warmed up — which left them perfectly primed for the night’s feature act: Neon Indian.
When it was time for Neon Indian to hit the stage, black curtains were pushed back, opening up the room and allowing the audience to crowd around the main stage which featured a screen overhead displaying varying patterns made up of neon colors. The band emerged after much anticipation and an appropriate amount of smoke for effect, and from the balloons that were released into the crowd to the crowd surfers and crowd-dancers, it became almost instantly clear that this show was going to turn into one of the best parties of the weekend.
Sure, there were downsides — such as the sound being loud enough to almost drown out Alan Palomo’s vocals, blending the music together into one pulsing, electronic haze. (But then again, it was also one of the night’s upsides.)
As the last songs approached, Palomo thanked the audience saying, “We were not expecting this kind of reception.”
But the reception continued into the night as the the crowd’s excitement built and their dancing inhibitions faded with each song — reaching a crescendo during favorite single “Polish Girl” that saw the entire crowd moving together as one collective body, having a fantastic time at what can only be described as Detroit’s best kept secret party — where only the coolest kids were invited.
Photos by Kristin Slater