Live Review: Now, Now - the Imperial, Vancouver 08/02/2019

We caught indie-rock band Now, Now on tour with Hippo Campus when they made a stop in at Vancouver’s Imperial. The sold out show was packed early in anticipation of the band’s first return to the city since last summer.

Made up of permanent members Cacie Dalager (vocals and guitar) and Bradley Hale (drums, vocals), Now, Now have been playing together since 2003, starting out when they were in high school. With each new album that they’ve released, the band has shown a clear growth and progression with their sound. Their most recent album Saved (May, 2018), ventures into the realm of indie-pop with catchy melodies (see Yours) and a more polished sound, as opposed to the grungier sound that was a staple of previous albums.

The setlist for their set was built around their newest album, with songs like MJ, SGL, AZ, and Saved proving that this is a band that loves their abbreviations, but also that they were a great pick to energize the audience that had filled the room to see them. With venues like The Imperial, a sold out show with 500 people can feel more like 1000, especially if one ends up stuck behind a tall person with nowhere to move. However, the camaraderie between Dalager and Hale made it feel as if you were in a room of maybe 10 people, as they chatted between songs. As Dalager danced around the stage, she sang her heart out and connected with the audience, including jumping to the floor and weaving through the crowd to close out their set.

Now, Now are a band that should be seen live in order to get the full experience, and while their run with Hippo Campus may be over for now, they are heading back out on the road in April through May with Foxing. If you didn’t catch them on this tour, they are a must-see when they’re back in your city on the upcoming run!

Photography and words by Kelli Anne