One of the most amazing things to watch in these live stream events is how people really come together in the fan chats. A fan had joined the chat tonight and commented: “how do you all know each other?” to which someone answered, “we don’t, we’re just fans.” This really speaks to how powerful the concert music scene can be. People have no fear of getting to know one another through the comfort of a screen, and their only commonality being their favorite band. There’s a sense of community that is built just through fandoms, and the Grouplove fans really connected with one another from the start of the show to the end.
The American alternative rock band consists of Hannah Hooper, Christian Zucconi, Andrew Wessen, Daniel Gleason and Benjamin Homola. Also attending the event were Joseph Dempsey and Cam Latham. On March 11th, Grouplove partnered with the online streaming service Moment House for a very special evening. Grouplove had just announced a surprise album that was set to be released at midnight on the 11th. The live stream would give the fans a taste of the new 2021 album This Is This. Grouplove performed every song from the new album, and fans in the virtual audience could not get enough of the fun and lively energy that was created in the studio space.
Starting strong, talented singer and performer Hannah Hooper had told fans that they would be performing the entirety of the new album This Is This for the first time ever. This was such a treat for the virtual audience, and the power of this band unified everyone in the chat. Watching the evening unfold with so much musicality, entertainment and positivity was one that Grouplove fans, far and wide, were sure to remember.
Kicking off the show with the first track on This Is This, “Primetime” was full of heavy grungy rock that was easy to nod along to, and people couldn’t help but smile along. The set had a little bit of low light and it gave a very intimate and garage band rehearsal kind of vibe. It felt like a fun ’90s alternative aesthetic, with the set looking like a room with a bunch of talented musician friends making music together in a cool space. “Primetime” was a strong opener and really set this vibe for the album, and the fans were not disappointed.
“Deadline” was another song that the fans were particularly into. There were definitely some harmonic melodies that were sung throughout. “Deadline” was fun because the fans had already heard it once before. The music video had premiered the day before with its very lively and bright colors. The video for the song fits the fun vibes of Grouplove. Through their fun lyrics and chill demeanor, it’s clear they are very talented and like to have a good time with their work.
Continuing through the set list of each track from This Is This, “Oxygen Swimming” had a slower and more chilled out tone quality to it. The transition into the song was held on by one resolving chord from the song before. While this power ballad was slower, it was still just as intense with the same heavy beats. After the show had concluded, the band came back onscreen to do a little Q&A in the chat with the fans. It was there that Hannah had revealed to the fans that Grouplove had had this song written and ready for a while, and they had been waiting to put it on the album. It was an audience favorite for sure.
Following “Oxygen Swimming,” the tune “Just What You Want” brought the energy right back up from the slower song. This song reminded fans of a little bit of grunge mixed with a little bit of punk. As with the rest of the album, this was something the fans were very into. Each song had different and very pleasing harmonies sung that perfectly blended with the rock atmosphere created by the music.
Finishing out the entirety of the new album, “Shout” was a high intensity and powerful anthem that proved that the album was a group of exhilarating songs. Each song felt like it fit on this album and made it all seem very cohesive in terms of what kinds of songs people would want to hear together—maybe some of those great tunes people would turn up loud in their car and blast as loud as they want. As the band had mentioned in the aftershow Q&A, “Shout” was one of the songs they really enjoyed performing.
When Grouplove had finished the album, they weren’t quite done performing for the fans just yet. The final song of the evening was “Colours,” from the 2011 studio album, Never Trust A Happy Song. Everyone in the virtual audience went wild for it, and they were very excited that this was the selection for the last song. It’s always a fun moment when a band mixes their old and popular songs in the batch with brand new and yet-to-be-released hits.
Overall, Grouplove had a very energetic and lively stage presence that made this show so fun to be a part of. The sense of community in the chat was so strong that the fans were exchanging social media handles throughout the show so they could stay in touch with one another. Some fans were already ready to start the show over using the replay feature at the end of the stream. There were a few merch pre-order options under the stream video. It was like the atmosphere of a real concert. Hooper had also mentioned that this was to be a monthly series on Moment House, so fans were excited to see more Grouplove each month for more fun times and great music.
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