SHAED Wrapped Chicago Around Their Finger with Their Infectiously Energetic Set
Although we’re smack dab in the middle of summer, there’s been no shortage of SHAED the past few months. Playing Mamby at the end of June before returning to support Sir Sly for their show at The Bottom Lounge, the DC trio composed of Chelsea Lee, and twin brothers Spencer and Max Ernst have already performed in Chicago twice this month. Fortunately, the band and the crowd don’t seem to mind, as lead vocalist Chelsea Lee exclaimed “I fucking love this city,” near the end of SHAED’s set on Wednesday night. Cheers and applause greeted Lee’s expression of appreciation for the midwestern city and the audience alike.
That same infectious energy and mutual love clung to band’s roughly 40 minute performance, which has become polished and perfected by touring with the likes of Bishop Briggs and Marian Hill. As the three performed in harmony, Lee’s powerful and smooth vocals rang out into the concert hall, a good portion of the crowd echoing the words back. The Ernst brothers and Lee also grooved to their own music, exuding a feeling of comfort not only between each other, but as performers. A particularly stand-out moment of the night occurred when SHAED played their latest single “Too Much.” During the song, Lee took a break from singing to go dance next to each of the brothers, and the crowd moved in unison to the funky beat, which is perfect for a summer night.
Unreleased material made up a good chunk of the set, as the trio is still working on their debut album, but that didn’t stop the crowd from knowing some of the words or getting into the songs with their bodies. At one point, the crowd started clapping along to the beat, and Lee’s face lit up with a mix of surprise and gratitude at the action of positive feedback from the audience. The band’s nifty lighting rig also added another layer to the live show, keeping the crowd engaged with that facet of the production, but ultimately what had the crowd wrapped around SHAED’s finger was the seamless blend of Lee’s vocals and the production work of the Ernst brothers. It’s early on in their career, but it’s clear that SHAED has found their groove and it will only grow stronger as this tour goes on.
SHAED at The Bottom Lounge 7.19.17
