Photo Credit: aLIVE Coverage
Above & Beyond’s highly awaited acoustic tour touched down in NYC the past three days. Beacon Theatre on Broadway was lit up by the astounding voices of Zoe Johnston, Justine Suissa, Natalie Holmes, and Cobi. Above & Beyond (Tony, Jono, Paavo) would rotate between a mix of guitar, piano, and keyboard throughout the shows. Accompanied by a background band to top it all off, the works were brought out for their broadway NYC acoustic show. The mood and vibe of the crowd can be described as transparent to that of any electronic Above & Beyond show. Although no sleeveless shirts or tutus were to be spotted, the feels were the same in the form of collared shirts and exquisite dresses.
Attending the final day of their NYC stop, Sunday night was lit up by the energy and spirits of New Yorkers for the third day straight. After taking our seats in the orchestra section, a woman sitting beside us would inform me she had cried during the opener (Solomon Grey). Before the tears and feels started flowing (more than they already were), Paavo would inform the crowd they were welcome to sing along, dance, and enjoy the show. The toned down lighting and slower paced music would prove to show a different side of Above & Beyond that the crowd completely fell in love with. Singing along and smiling could be seen all across Beacon Theatre as bracelets provided at entry lit up like pink fireflies in the night.
Photo Credit: aLIVE Coverage
The song choices can be described as a mix of their Acoustic II album (as expected), but it would not be an Above & Beyond show without singing along to the classics we all love. Zoe Johnston would kick off the night early singing “We Are All We Need” and then again with “Peace Of Mind”. Zoe’s voice is extraordinary and one can only wish she would have performed “Love Is Not Enough” from Acoustic I. Oceanlab’s Justine Suissia provided her well known vocals on tracks like “Satellite”, “On A Good Day”, and “Another Chance”. Her acoustic versions were a nice soothing change from the electronic versions we are all accustomed to. The highlighting of her vocals brought out a side of the song not previously felt before.
In between songs, each member of Above & Beyond would touch on a certain track and elaborate on why exactly it was so special to them. Tony, Jono, and Paavo each had different words, however they seemed to touch on a recurring theme, moments. Tony talked about the extraordinary moments created by many of the songs they have performed throughout their careers. Paavo would follow a similar route when discussing one of his favorite songs to be performed by Justine later on in the night. Although the music was different from the typical Above & Beyond show, the messages were all the same. Perhaps not written on a large screen behind them, but the meaningful words and heart felt vibes were all too similar.
Photo Credit: aLIVE Coverage
Although all the performers from Natalie Holmes to Justine Suissia were incredible, there was one vocalist who stood out among the rest. Minnesota native Cobi Mike had some big shoes to fill with the vocals he was set to provide. Singing on Alex Vargas’ “Blue Sky Action”, “Sticky Fingers” and “All Over The World”, Cobi would show that he was more than capable of providing vocals on some of Above & Beyond’s most treasured tracks. He would again demonstrate his vocal talents when performing the sentimental tracks, “A Thing Called Love” and “On My Way To Heaven.”
Last but not least, Cobi provided the tear jerking and astounding vocals to Above & Beyond’s “Sun & Moon”. Slated as the last song for the night, it was an emotional, but spectacular finish to the night. As the confetti soared and the crowd sang along with Cobi to the memorable lyrics, the true magnitude of their acoustic show came to light. Friends hugged, couples kissed, and Justine sang with Paavo as he played the piano to their final song. After being mind blown for nearly two hours, the only word I could mutter at the end was, “wow”. Thank you to Above & Beyond and all the fans for a spectacular night.
Photo Credit: aLIVE Coverage
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http://www.aboveandbeyond.nu
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