the japanese house live at webster hall

lead curator/writer

Waiting in line to get into the venue, you can hear the mumbles of excitement within the groups of people all eager to show up early.

Webster Hall is a legendary venue with acts from all different backgrounds and genres. To a sold out crowd, The Japanese House gave us all a show we’ll all be reminiscing about for a while.

Quinnie was the opener for that night. She is a singer/songwriter from New Jersey who, funnily enough, lived not too far from Webster Hall a few years ago. In the recent past, I went up to Woodstock, NY with my family, and while we were visiting, there was a public drum circle. Anyone could join in regardless of skill level, and everyone who joined was in the moment, enjoying being a part of this group. Watching Quinnie on stage felt like that moment again. She was welcoming, tender, and reminiscent of a different era.

Quinnie walked on stage accompanied by two of her guitarists. They all sat in boxes on stage covered in tapestry and were all shoeless. She was wearing a white old-fashioned button down shirt with jeans and a skirt that reminded me of an antique tablecloth with gray socks. When she sang with her band, they flowed through each song. I watched the crowd just ease themselves along with the rhythm. Throughout the entirety of her performance, Quinnie rotated between playing the tambourine, guitar, and omnichord with absolute ease.

Quinnie’s vocals made her performance stand out. They were strong and crystal clear. If you have any doubts about her sound, she squanders them when she leans into the microphone. Towards the end of her set, she sang a song called “Promise” and told the crowd that she wrote that song four years ago, right alongside the streets outside the venue doors. Seems like she was foretelling her own future, once living so close to a venue she would one day perform at.

As a crowd we had some downtime in between Quinnie and The Japanese House to relax and enjoy the atmosphere. The moment the house lights dimmed, the crowd was a roar, ready for their night to really begin. Bain walked out on stage with a black oversized blazer over a red playboy bunny t-shirt, complemented by matching slacks and Converse. She began the set with guitar in-hand, opening with “Sad To Breathe” with a smile, listening to the crowd sing it back to her. Aside from Bain, she had four members of her band alongside her on stage. Among them was a drummer, bassist, guitarist, and keyboardist who also played the saxophone.

Her set list consisted of a lot of new songs from her most recent album, In The End It Always Does, as well as some popular classics of hers. With each song the crowd was mesmerized by her, singing along the entire time. The crowd was especially eager to sing “Maybe You’re The Reason” and “Boyhood.” We all sang in unison with Bain, eager to prove ourselves as fans as well as our adoration. As an audience, we got a treat getting to hear a live saxophone solo for “Follow My Girl” and “Friends.” Hearing this live performance was exhilarating. It was very obvious that the entire crowd was mesmerized and incredibly present in this moment too. I noticed a fan in the crowd who started to cry. She didn’t seem sad, but instead, overwhelmed and excited to experience it all.

Towards the end of the show, Bain started to exit the stage while saying with air quotes, “this is our last single.” The crowd laughed in reaction. The crew put out a keyboard with a microphone, so when Bain came back from her “last song,” she sat down and began to play “One for sorrow, two for Joni Jones.” As she began to play the song, she hit the wrong key. She laughed and said, “delete that,” while the crowd laughed along with her. Bain is earnest and endearing when she sings, swaying as she plays the guitar throughout the whole show. At times she smiles at her band, and then she smiles out at the crowd. She makes it seem as if performing is second nature to her.

There have been studies that have proven that the feeling of attend a live performance is equivalent to the feeling of people attending their place of worship. You get this feeling of ecstasy from having experienced the same thing as others around you. It’s gratifying, as well as making you feel acknowledged and understood. Over the span of the set, I can attest to feeling this wave of emotions too. It’s just a shame I can’t experience this show every Sunday. You can still catch The Japanese House on her North America tour and if you’re in the UK, you can see her next year.