 |
Jonny Pierce |
Jonny Pierce grew
up in Horseheads, a small town in upstate New York, where his parents were
pastors of a medium-sized church. As a youth, he found
in his basement an old analog synthesizer that the church was no longer
using, and he started using it to write and record songs in his bedroom. Pierce
formed a short-lived electro-pop group initially named Goat Explosion, eventually renamed Elkland, and released one album in 2005 before splitting in 2006. In
2008, Pierce relocated to Kissimmee, Florida, to develop the collaboration that
would become the Drums. A year
later, the musicians moved to Brooklyn, New York, performed in the NYC Pop Fest, and
released an EP. The Drums received immediate media attention: the Drums reportedly
became the most Shazamed band of 2009, British magazines lauded the band as a
top pick for 2010, and Pitchfork's
2009 Readers' Poll voted the Drums as the "Best Hope for 2010." Band
members exited one by one, and by 2017 the Drums became Pierce's solo project. The
Drums released a fifth and most recent album, Brutalism, on April 5, 2019.
The Drums headlined Mercury
Lounge tonight as part of the venue's 25th anniversary series. Pierce was
backed by Bryan de Leon and Tom Haslow switching between guitar and
bass and by Bryan de Leon on drums,
performing songs from all five Drums albums. Pierce crooned broodingly, as repetitive,
spindly guitar lines made the songs bright and bouncy. The juxtaposition of
these modes made it seem like there was sunshine on the band but a rain cloud over
the singer. Pierce's vocal delivery exuded sadness and vulnerability while the
band's taut, shimmering surf guitar and a pounding beat sprung rays of
summer-like hope. This was indie-pop music with a Britpop flair and emo
sensibilities.
Setlist:
- Days
- Best Friend
- Heart Basel
- Body Chemistry
- Book of Stories
- Mirror
- Brutalism
- I Can't Pretend
- Loner
- Blip of Joy
- Let's Go Surfing
- Money
- 626 Bedford Avenue
- How It Ended
Encore:
- Rich Kids
- Blood Under My Belt
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