Palace review by Krizia Mae Templonuevo

I would like to start off by saying, “wow.” The audience at Webster Hall did not miss whatsoever. Before Palace even took their place on stage, the crowd welcomed the two openers with loud cheers and overwhelming applause. 

The first band that performed was Loose Buttons. I have never heard of them before that night, but I was pleasantly surprised by their set! Not only were their songs such a bop, their stage presence was exciting and fun as well. The lead singer, Eric Nizgretsky, was such a bundle of joy and energy; bouncing and hopping all over the stage like no tomorrow. What really set off the crowd was their cover of The Cure’s “Boys Don’t Cry”. What an amazing choice of song to really get the energy of the audience up and dancing. Their vibe was contagious and just like the people around me, I couldn’t help but bob my head to their catchy riffs. I admit that once I came home later that night, I searched them up on Spotify to listen to the rest of their music. 

Up next was Liam Benzvi. Liam was the only person to come onto stage, which confused me quite a bit. His stage presence was honestly a little lackluster, but his music was enough to keep my attention. Smooth and seductive beats echoed throughout the venue, and it was evident that the crowd felt this vibe from his songs as well. Although his songs were good, I felt that the setting of a concert wasn’t appropriate. I would definitely listen to him when I am in a more relaxed state of mind.

Liam’s set gave the crowd enough breathing room for when Palace came up onto the stage. The lights dimmed low and silence filled the venue for a split second just before the crowd went wild with cheers and applause. Finally, the featured band set foot onto the stage. Palace was here. Their set was pure vibes. They combined many of their hype and chill songs to really take the crowd through a rollercoaster of emotions. They played their most famous songs in the middle of their set, which took the crowd aback but the vibes were still up and joyful

Leo, the main singer, has such an amazing voice. His range is exceptional and sounds exactly like their studio recordings. Their stage presence wasn’t breathtaking, but that didn’t take away from just feeling the music in your bones. It was a shame that not all of the members of Palace could have made it due to visa issues, but it was nice to see everyone on stage. I would definitely go watch Palace live again.

 

Review and photography by Krizia Mae Templonuevo

Palace performed on May 5, 2022 at The Grand Ballroom, Webster Hall, New York, NY.