They met at NYU as students with one common goal: to make every gig feel like a party and to keep everyone dancing. Several years and many rooftop gigs later, Stolen Gin lived up to this mantra at their biggest show yet last Saturday, April 13, 2024, at the legendary Bowery Ballroom in New York, NY. Fans raged into the night as this quintet delivered a strong funk-pop vibe coupled with well-placed jazz and rock improvisation. Indie rocker Deadbeat Girl provided their support.
The evening began with Deadbeat Girl, aka Val Olson, who is an indie and alternative singer-songwriter originally from South Florida who now resides in NYC. The words were filled with emotional vulnerability, and the melodies with soft acoustics, deep synth, and robust bass. Despite a short career thus far for this young artist, Olson has inspired many with a commitment to honest and poetic lyrics. Their performance included a lot of commentary, as they connected to the fans quite well, both while playing and in between songs.
After Deadbeat Girl's set ended, the venue was packed as the co-ed crowd eagerly awaited Stolen Gin. The band stepped on stage to boisterous applause. Tonight's lineup included vocalist and guitarist Jackson Lardner, saxophonist Evan Jacobson, guitarist Will Adler, drummer Josh Farrell, and bassist Sawyer Adler. The festivities began with the bubbly "Drunk Ambition," which included smooth vocals from Lardner. The pop-funk feels heated up with "Bowery," an original tune reminiscent of Michael Jackson from their 2022 release Tonic. The bumping bass line, care of Sawyer Adler, had the crowd moving with delight.
Jacobson shined during "Take Your Problems to the Disco," another Tonic gem, as the saxophone melded with the vocals in a sophisticated way. This upbeat, dance-friendly tune could bring a smile to most faces and is understandably a staple in their catalog. "Second Sun" followed, from the 2019 album Something Sweet, and Will Adler contributed some tasty blues rock guitar. Farrell showed his talent as he maintained a steady and pronounced beat.
"Jack Herer" proceeded another Something Sweet song, and was just as smooth as the famous cannabis strain the song is named for. "Gold" included a stellar funk guitar element woven into this high-energy tune. This was one of our favorite moments from the set. Lardner was on point with vocals and rhythm guitar.
New tune "Underwater" was up next. The recently released music was inspired by the tropics, particularly the jazzy saxophone. Farrell also crushed the transitions within the tune. The crowd pondered the possibility of life underwater as they grooved to this vibrant tune. "If We Go Down," another recently released single continued the melodic funk theme.
The first cover of the night, "Gypsy Woman" by Crystal Waters, emerged. The delicious saxophone mixed with electro-pop funk felt like a signature original. The crowd was locked into the groove, as smiles decorated the Bowery neighborhood venue. More Tonic goodness followed with "House in Maine," which heated the tempo back up. "Tension Release" included a layered tapestry anchored with an ear-pleasing bass line by Sawyer Adler.
As the set waned, the band dropped into an elevated "Red." Will Adler contributed a short but nonetheless face-melting jam on guitar. The penultimate tune of the set, "London After Dark," brought intense drumming by Farrell with more upbeat major chords and an indie influence. The set ended on a high note with "Analie," which is yet another treasure from Something Sweet.
The band returned for an encore, and started with more succulence from Something Sweet in the form of the ballad "Road to Reason." Lardner showed his incredible vocal versatility in this mellow and intricate tune. The beats soared once again during "Fast Cars and Movie Stars." The band ended the show with an energizing and crowd-ifying cover of "Santeria" by Sublime. Most attendees sang their hearts out, even though many had not been born when Sublime broke up in 1996. They could not have chosen a better song to end a night of high-spirited dancing.
Stolen Gin successfully achieved lift-off at the Bowery Ballroom. These talented NYU grads are well on their way to more success and are back in action on April 26, 2024, at The Lounge @ World Cafe Live in Philadelphia, PA. Tickets are available via this link. Head on over to their tour page for more dates, including a West Coast run later this year, and catch this stand-out, emerging artist as they rise.
Check out more photos from the show!
Setlist: Drunk Ambition, Bowery, Take Your Problems to the Disco, Second Sun, Jack Herer, Gold, Underwater, If We Go Down, Gypsy Woman1, House in Maine, Tension Release, Red, London After Dark, Analie
Encore: Road to Reason, Fast Cars and Movie Stars, Santeria2
Notes: 1 - Crystal Waters, 2 - Sublime
