ear @ First Unitarian Church
Immediately upon walking down the steps of the First Unitarian Church, you can feel the thick smog of heat and sweat. I arrived ten minutes after Ear was to go on because of a late class and slow uber, but the energy from the crowd instantly set the scene. Just ten minutes into ear’s set, people were already drenched in sweat and coming up for air, while others rushed into the middle for the next song. There was no shortage of ripped tees, big eyeliner, platform shoes and rattails, but the biggest outlier to me was the age of the crowd. I expected mainly college students leaning older, but this crowd was very young. I watched people flung around in the mosh pit looking no older than sixteen. Ear’s sound always reminded me of early 2000’s electric pop–before this show, I had forgotten the freshness of their music. With the release of their newest album Rumpspringa, their sound has evolved to something entirely new. Their songs are more breathable, with vocals fading in and out so you can barely reach them. In just a year since their last studio album, they sound more assured in themselves. For the first time they include acoustic guitar and more quiet, natural sounding effects like wind whistling and ambient buzzing. For 29 minutes Rumpsringa explores youth, and the trials of growing up.
Ear contains just two young members, Yaelle Avtan, and Jonah Paz. Both contribute vocals and production to the band, collaborating just weeks after first meeting. The affinity they share directly translates into their work. Their stage presence is magnetic to say the least. They swayed and danced around the airy vocals and convulsed every bone at the sporadic beats. My favorite aspect of this show was how inviting they are to the crowd. They want you to scream, jump, dance, and move in whatever freakish way suits you. They are often described as awkward, but their patience and flow are more comforting than anything.
Due to the limited set-lighting in the small venue, their version of atmospheric effects seemed to be someone standing behind the stage flickering the lightswitch. At first, I thought this was just someone messing around,but they just kept on going. This makeshift asset is very on brand for them, but at times there was awkwardness in the brightness and duration that they were turned on for.
Between every song, the duo came out for a breath and whispered into the mics in the sweetest, and most gentle tone. They loved Philly– at every opportunity, they thanked the crowd for being so awesome and fun. It’s always hard to anticipate how electronic bands will perform live, but I could clearly hear their soft vocals mix with the effects and leads.
After the high of hearing “coil” and “theorem” live, my heart dropped when the two announced they would play two more extra songs. After nearly whispering and chuckling at each other into their microphones, Jonah and Yaelle started again with “Ne Plus Ultra,” a highly anticipated track. The crowd’s energy once again picked up and the mosh pit opened. Ear went the hardest they had all night and swung their two microphones around, flaring their bodies up and down from the floor. The music was already so inviting and reminiscent of my early summer memories, witnessing it live alongside the energy of the crowd put an unmoving smile on my face. Everyone was in their own world together, swaying, jumping, and head banging. When the song ended, they nodded and silently slipped offstage, disappearing into the dark venue.
The whole set was only about forty minutes total. This wasn’t totally shocking given the band’s newness and limited discography. I left the venue pretty disappointed that I had missed ¼ of the show, but what I did see was well worth it. Crowd’s energy spoke volumes to the integrity of the band. The duo’s raw presentation and sound is compelling enough to make anyone excited for what’s to come in future releases, and even wilder venues this tour.
