[Night Out] LA Priest & Mansionair @ Baby's All Right (09/30/2015)

It's always exciting to hear that bands that you were thought were gone forever aren't, even if means that a member or two continues to trudge on. That's why when I discovered that Sam Dust, former frontman of one of my favorite bands in 2008, Late of the Pier, was now making music under the moniker LA Priest, you bet your sweet ass I jumped at the opportunity to be in the presence of greatness once again. And great it was. I felt like I was at the best pajama dance party of all time.

Thinking back to the LotP show at Irving Plaza, I remember the energy being a bit on the intense side (which fit with their debut album, Fantasy Black Channel). My evening at Baby's All Right, on the other hand, was playful and inclusive, with Dust sampling the crowd to loop during a song before going out to dance amongst the audience at the end of his set. As much as a part of me is still bummed that LotP isn't still a band, it seems that Dust is much better suited in this easygoing setting.

The surprise of the night was Mansionair, who I admittedly hadn't really planned on getting to the venue in time to see. Riding the high of opening for CHVRCHES at Central Park Summer Stage earlier in the week, the three-piece delivered a powerful set featuring tracks off of their recently released EP, Pick Me Up. While I immediately took to them, there was one song in particular that singer Jack Froggatt nearly broke my heart with his performance to the point that when they announced from stage they'd be playing Piano's later in the week (more on that later) I made sure to clear my schedule that evening.

Listen to LA Priest's debut album, Inji below.

And when you're done with that, have a listen to Mansionair's EP, Pick Me Up, too!