Echosmith show Indy how the cool kids play

When sibling-band Echosmith took over Old National Centre’s Deluxe with The Colourist it was an incredibly young audience that filled the room. It was a show unlike any other recently seen at the venue, as it wasn’t actually a kids show, but it was still a totally different environment from your typical rock show as well. That line between the two worlds seems to be exactly where Echosmith wants to build their career. California rock-band The Colourist took to the stage to open the show and kicked it off with “Yes Yes,” where lead singer Adam Castilla’s vocals perfectly conveyed a cool, laid-back California attitude which, after months of a frigid winter, seemed to bring a burst of life and energy to the Indiana crowd. [lg_slideshow folder=\”2015/Echosmith in Indy/The Colourist/\”] Drummer and vocalist Maya Tuttle was situated at the front of the stage, which gave fans an up-close view of the drummer in action. They played a good selection of songs off their 2014 self-titled album, as well as a few new songs (“Set It Right” and “When I’m Away”) during their 40-minute set. Early in the night Castilla mentioned it was the band’s very first visit to Indianapolis but if the enthusiastic fan response is any indication, it certainly won’t be their last. After a short set change, the house lights lowered and a large ECHOSMITH sign lit up along the back of the stage as 15-year-old Graham Sierota took his place at his drum kit. One by one the remaining Sierota siblings took to the stage to be met by an ever-growing chorus of cheers from the excited crowd. Although the band is quite young (ranging in age from 16 to 21) they’re already seasoned veterans when it comes to life on the road, and that experience was on full display throughout their set. The band had a relaxed confidence on stage, allowing them to connect with their fans in a way that seems difficult for most bands at the younger end of the spectrum. At first thought it’s somewhat baffling for such a young band to be headlining a tour, but after two consecutive years on the Vans Warped Tour, these kids have paid their dues and worked for their position in the scene. Towards the end of the night the moment everyone had been waiting for finally arrived as the band started in to their massively popular single, “Cool Kids.” The crowd had been singing along all night, but the energy in the room went up a few notches as soon as singer Sydney Sierota hammered out a few notes on her synth. It’s an old cliché that rock bands drive a wedge between generations, but looking around the room during Echosmith’s performance of “Cool Kids”, the exact opposite seemed to be at play as many of the reluctant parents who had been lining the walls of the room had started to let loose and dance a bit with their kids. [lg_slideshow folder=\”2015/Echosmith in Indy/Echosmith/\”] Perhaps the most enjoyable part of the night was watching the young crowd’s reaction, especially after overhearing that it was many fans’ first concert. With the vast majority of the crowd being in the tween to early teen age range, the members of Echosmith are just young enough to inspire thoughts of “if they’re doing it, I can do it to!” among the kids in the crowd. That said, Echosmith are aalso old enough to be able to handle the attention and responsibility that their platform gives them. It seems as though the future of the pop/rock scene is in pretty good hands if the Sierota siblings continue to lead this new generation. Echosmith is concocting a fresh sound as they draw from their foundation of Interpol, Joy Division, and U2 and combining that with the sound of some of their more recent influences, such as The Killers, Foster The People, and Coldplay. With such a strong collection of positive feel-good songs, they’re a band that’s hard to resist and impossible to ignore. -Ashley Adcox