*Grouplove
Coachella, Weekend One
3.5 paws*
As an emerging talent in the indie rock scene, Grouplove greeted an enthusiastic crowd at the first weekend of Coachella with its easygoing yet energetic style.
The band members danced with the audience as they played a majority of their debut album “Never Trust a Happy Song.” Grouplove’s set began with “Lovely Cup,” a song with a rhythmic bass and laid back guitar that almost sounds like beach music as singers Christian Zucconi and Hannah Hooper sang to each other, “You’re such a lovely cup, why don’t you fill me up.”
After the similarly catchy “Itchin’ for a Photograph,” Grouplove performed songs such as “Naked Kids” and “Chloe,” which talk about being young, fun, and impulsive.
The energy and spirit throughout the Gobi tent was palpable as Grouplove played each song with upbeat tempos, and strong but not overwhelmingly rhythmic bass and guitar in conjunction with soothing vocals.
The band played with different rhythms and song speeds constantly – even within the same song, which kept the crowd engaged. Grouplove did not deviate too much from their album’s playful sound, and its apparent that the group is growing comfortable with themselves as performers in front of large crowds.
The performance peaked with fan favorites such as “Spun” and their most popular hit “Tongue Tied,” which had the audience singing and dancing along exuberantly. The highlight of the performance was the band’s rendition of Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” with the singers starting at a slow tempo and gradually working up to the fast-paced dance anthem that the original was.
The song was an appropriate addition to Grouplove’s youthful and energetic sound, which was reminiscent of bands like Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. Judging from the audience reception, people may trust Grouplove’s happy songs regardless of its album’s warning.