Small Pools @ 9:30 Club - 3/13/2019
Small Pools performing to the crowd at the 9:30 Club in Washignton, DC. (photo by Sami Pye)
On their recent stop in Washington, D.C., Small Pools lead vocalist Sean Scanlon took the concept of “connecting with the audience” to a new level. Jumping into the crowd and standing on the barricades while belting their latest hits, Scanlon and the rest of the band kept the audience awake and jubilant all night.
The band, which features in addition to Scanlon, Mike Kamerman on guitar, Joe Intile on bass, and Beau Kuther on drums is touring behind their newest EP, So Social and this is their first time headlining after previous tours supporting bigger alternative bands, including Twenty One Pilots and Two Door Cinema Club. The lead also singer mentioned this show was the biggest one of their tour.
Opening with the high energy track “Stumblin Home,” there was never a dull moment in the set, from jokes to conversations with the audience, to throwing inflatable whales in the crowd during their song, “Killer Whales.” Along with their newer music, they also played their biggest hits from previous EPs, including “Passenger Side” and “American Love.” plus through in a poignant cover of the Radiohead classic, “Creep.”
The show had two opening acts, Bel Heir, and New Dialogue. Bel Heir is a rising indie-pop group that played a 5 song set, including anthems off of their latest EP, Don’t Turn This Record Down. They were followed by New Dialogue, another indie-pop band that was excited to share that their newest song, which they played for the crowd, will be featured in a Jeep commercial this summer.
