AFTER THE STORM: THEE SHARP PINS PACK TV EYE IN NEW YORK CITY
TV EYE — NEW YORK, NY
On Sunday, New York was struck by record-breaking snowfall; on Monday, Thee Sharp Pins played to a sold-out room at the TV Eye as if nothing had happened. After the storm postponed the show by a day, fans eagerly packed out the room an hour in advance, waiting for the music to start.
Kai Slater, also known as Sharp Pins (or Thee Sharp Pins as a live band), has had a relentless string of months. Sharp Pins isn’t the only band he’s a part of—he recently wrapped up a tour with one of his other bands, Lifeguard, where he handles both guitar and vocals, opening up for slacker rock darlings Bar Italia. Last November, he released Balloon Balloon Balloon, a sprawling 21-song psychedelic/power/jangle-pop album. Safe to say, it doesn’t seem like he has any plans of slowing down.
The show started with opening acts Badger Hunt and Oldstar. Country-rock band Oldstar took the stage first, stunning the crowd with their five-piece arrangements. By the time their set was over, the crowd was buzzing for the second opener, rock duo Badger Hunt. Although Badger Hunt is composed of only two members, their frenetic sound filled the entire venue. Singer and guitarist Miles Ellisor and drummer Jamie Walker brought an incredible energy, swapping instruments for various songs and whipping the crowd into shape for Thee Sharp Pins’ headlining set.
By the time Sharp Pins took the stage, there was barely any room to move around. Joined by bassist Joe Glass and drummer Peter Cimbalo, Slater picked up his 12-string and immediately went into “Circle All The Dots” off their album Radio DDR. TV Eye was filled with jangly power pop chords and three-part harmonies, quickly making the audience sing and dance along to the band’s performance. The hour-long set was filled to the brim with songs from Sharp Pins’ discography. Songs like “Popafangout”, “When You Know”, and “You Have A Way” were played with a frantic but controlled energy that showed why Thee Sharp Pins are one of the best touring acts right now.
Slater took brief breaks in between songs to thank Badger Hunt and Oldstar for joining him, to introduce his band, and to also give an official name to Sharp Pins fans–Pinheads. Fans cheered at the band, only encouraging them to play with even more energy as the show progressed. Kai later explained that the three of them had to dig their car out of the snow to make it to the show, but said it was all worth it to play for New York. By the time they played their finale, “I Can’t Stop”, the crowd was left yelling for an encore. After a brief intermission, Thee Sharp Pins returned to the stage to play their last song of the night, “Is It Better”.
When the show ended, the crowd was buzzing as they rushed to the merch stand to meet the band. Kai Slater’s dedication to his music shows why Sharp Pins has garnered such a big fanbase, and why Thee Sharp Pins are a must-see act for any fans of power pop or music in general. You can catch them on the rest of their North American tour before they disembark for their European leg.
