We’ve covered Haasan Barclay’s work pretty extensively over the years, but one thing we’ve been keenly waiting on is for the genre-journeyman to perform with the backing of a full band. Wait and ye shall receive, innit? Last week, Haasan performed at the Rockwell with support from Maeko and Layzi. We’ve seen him play his songs with the help of prerecorded loops supporting his live guitar and vocals, but what was so special about this show was the unveiling of Haasan’s band. 

If you’ve ever seen Haasan perform, it’s extremely evident that he has a high energy performance style. In past performances, though, it occasionally felt like he was giving himself too much to do. With the backing of this band – comprised of Izzy Sealy on guitar, Matt Rohr on bass, and Ian Niblak on drums – Haasan could really let loose in a way that was previously restricted. At no point was this more clear than when he stepped down from the Rockwell’s stage to open up a mosh pit – perhaps the first time a pit has been opened up in that space (historians are having heated debates over this as I write this). Haasan’s set was peppered with tracks that span his releases: the psychedelic R&B of “Live For You” eventually evolving into tracks from Dual Shock, his 2022 release that veered more into the territory of house and electronic. The DS tracks were especially cool to hear adapted for a full band. 

Openers Maeko and Layzi also deserve big shout outs for their sets, filling out the bill by adding unique vibes to the night. Maeko’s style treads the line between pop, singer-songwriter, and hip-hop. There’s a indefatigable optimism to his stage presence and the way he sings with a big smile and wide-eyed gratitude. Salem’s Layzi provided a very chill, fuzzy, laid back indie rock sound to the night (lest we forget, this show happened on 4/20, so we needed some phasey guitars whirling around our heads). 

Check out our photos of the show below.