Hot Band Summer: Lilith Record Release Show

By Katie Ouellette

Photo credit: Mel Taing

Move over Hot Girl Summer. Boston is rife with so many musical glow-ups, Summer 2019 is officially Hot Band Summer. While most people use the summer months to take time off and leave the city, these musicians have buckled down and put in the work. Oompa had her triumphant sophomore album release at The Sinclair. Beeef had a sweaty sold out two-night stint a Lilypad. Cliff Notez has been churning out excellence with a new single and film projects and festivals like woah. As for the bill at Great Scott on 8/22, pushflowers played songs from their forthcoming debut EP (Allston Pudding premiered the first track), Dee-Parts assembled a kickass compilation tape of their recent material, and Lilith graced us with their first full length album. 

Perhaps this gig started as a record release show for Lilith, but it underwent several different evolutions before it ended back as a good ol’ fashion concert. On August 1st, the slot was repurposed as a “bachelorette-style group date,” where everyone was invited to slow dance:

On August 19th, it became a pop up shop for bedazzled hats:

By August 20th, it seemed like Lilith was ready to come to blows with Me In Capris as their feud reignited mere days before the two bands would lock eyes on the floors of Great Scott:

But on August 22nd, with Great Scott decked out in glittery pink streamers and LED light up balloons befitting of a birthday party or prom, all was forgiven as New England bands came together to celebrate the release of Safer Off.  Thankfully, pushflowers started the night off right before GS became a wrestling match (…again). The band energized the crowd rearing for indie pop magic. Next up was the transfixing NOVA ONE (who we’ll still count as local, from Rhode Island). Their gentle dream pop and matching wavy blond hairstyles was mesmerizing. And anyone who gets Hannah Liuzzo to play flute on stage should be thanked profusely.

Anticipation was building throughout the night for each progressive band, just as it built for Dee-Parts’ fans for each of their progressive EPs. This gig also celebrated the release of their Collected Recordings tape, which combined all of their songs to date, including some previously unreleased kitchen-recorded tracks. They dubbed themselves “bad boys of prom” before launching into their echoey goth rock. Their descending guitar notes and off kilter drum machine makes you want to dance like your favorite Peanuts character against a creepy Scooby Doo backdrop.  

Photo credit: Mel Taing

Throughout the night, all four bands had the undercurrent of bands who could fuck you up but will harmonize beautifully while doing it. Lilith demanded shots and received them from their worshipful audience. They kicked off with lead singles “Decency” and “Vacation,” quickly trailing into a dreamscape-y interlude. Their gentle ballads “Coward” and “Garden” still thrummed with vindictive energy with their lyrics. Proving Lilith is a true Disposable America band, “Lines Again” really shone with the lyric, “I really want to believe.” 

In a galaxy-brain-inspired moment of collaboration, Lilith invited pushflowers to sing backup vocals for “C.O.Y.F.” The four distinctly layered voices harmonized in a way to make the song transcend to new levels. But just when you thought the evening couldn’t get any more magical, Lilith welcomed even more friends onstage to cover Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Run Away with Me,” in a true “We Are the World” moment. Nothing could have made for a triumphant finale of the evening than the sword songstress herself.

Get your hands on Safer Off now.