NOTE: All photos are copyright of Howard Shiau Photography 2025
I was enjoying the warm almost summer-like 68 degrees in Washington Square Park as I anticipated the show I was to see last Wednesday night. The lineup was definitely something to look forward to with British indie folk singer Fenne Lily as the headliner. Her beautiful voice had been hanging on the skirts of my consciousness the last couple of years and I was glad that she was finally able to do a show in NYC. Opening for her were LA rockers Illuminati Hotties, fronted by the dazzling Sarah Tudzin, and singer/songwriter Katy Kirby.
As I got on line (New Yorker stand “on line”, not “in line”), the temperature had dropped to 34 degrees and I was glad to have carried my winter coat around me all day. It took the full hour after doors opened to warm up but it was worth the wait as Katy Kirby and her band took the stage. It was to be their last show on the tour supporting Fenne Lily and they made it a good one. There were quite a large number of Kirby fans in the crowd, which made it seem almost like a local show for her. Kirby’s smooth voice and witty repartee made for quite an enjoyable set that ended far too quickly. I look forward to seeing her again soon. In the meantime, do check out her debut LP “Cool Dry Place”.
Click on photos to enlarge
Illuminati Hotties are one of these quirky indie rock bands that I’ve been dying to see for awhile. The punk, garage band, and pop sounds mixed with lyrics that are sometimes harsh, sometimes tongue-in-cheek and sometimes self-deprecating make this band a lot of fun to listen to. Songwriter, producer, guitarist, lead vocalist Sarah Tudzin has shown that she definitely has to chops to succeed in the music business and also has the personality to hold a crowd in the palm of her hands. Take a listen to her latest record “Let Me Do One More”.
Click on photos to enlarge
Finally, rounding out the group of strong female led bands, Fenne Lily hit the stage and immediately set the mood to “chill”. While her lyrical style is very poignant, I found myself closing my eyes getting lost in the soothing calm of her voice. This is not great for a photographer! Even her more fast paced songs such as “Alapathy” are anchored by her smooth light vocals. Lily played many tracks from her 2020 record “Breach” as well as a couple of songs she was “testing out” with the crowd, with every new song eliciting a hugely positive response. Katy Kirby even joined her onstage for “I Used to Hate My Body But Now I Just Hate You”. While Kirby will no longer be in the line-up, Pom Pom Squad will be joining Fenne Lily and Illuminati Hotties on select remaining stops of the tour so catch them while you can!
Click on photos to enlarge
One Reply to “”