On Wednesday night, June 5, alt-pop band, Hey Violet, took center stage at Bowery Ballroom.
Based in Los Angeles, frontwoman Rena Lovelis and her sister, Nia Lovelis, on drums, were born and raised in New York City. These sisters and their bandmate on guitar, Casey Moreta, take everyday moments and transform them into something intense and wild. Although they are fairly new to the music scene, with their first album coming out in 2017, Hey Violet has already experienced widespread praise from top dog outlets like Billboard, Nylon, Stereogum, V Magazine, and The New York Times, who praised From The Outside as “one of this year’s [2017] best and most provocative albums.”
As the third show in their mini-tour of four shows, Hey Violet came out with a literal bang thanks to drummer Nia Lovelis. The band played crowd-pleasers such as, “Hoodie,” “Break My Heart,” “Better By Myself,” and “O.D.D.” They even sang happy birthday to a girl in the crowd who was turning 17. “17 is such an amazing age to be!” exclaimed Rena Lovelis.
The crowd went wild for the bands relatable and empowering songs about relationships and self-care. Among them was “Fuqboi” a song about the disillusionment of boys who are, well, fuckboys. Their songs inspire a punk rock attitude and a no-nonsense exploration of youth and relationships.
Hey Violet saved their most famous song “Guys My Age,” (named one of the Best Songs of 2016 by the New York Times), until later in the set, reaching a crescendo in the set. The band slowed the momentum down with one of their new songs “Close My Eyes,” on their upcoming album. A slow atmospheric melody with a sharp beat and romantic lyrics, this song takes a different approach than their previous album.
A truly talented group love by their fans, Hey Violet is just getting started. We greatly anticipate their new upcoming album here at The Knockturnal.