REVIEW: Cory Wong @ The Met

Nov 20, 2024Nov 20, 2024 Ava Mosby 0 Comments Ava Mosby, Cory Wong, Couch, featured, Susanna Coyle, temple university, the met, whip radio

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Photos By: Susanna Coyle

Written By: Susanna Coyle

On November 8, Cory Wong and the Wongair musicians’ Friday night hangout brought vibrant groovy funk to the Met with genius guitar skills, driving percussion, and a range of smashing solos. To Wong, performing was equivalent to hanging out; the musicians created a special connection with the crowd, everyone brought together in the name of a good time and a love for music.

The night kicked off with the band, Couch’s, bright punching energy; immediately coloring the air with fresh vocal runs and electric solos. Together, they got down low and slowly rose as the sound built, and mimicked their physical movements to each other’s riffs and licks. Warming the crowd up with fun nostalgic sounds, Couch’s renditions of Justin Bieber’s “Sorry” and Schoolhouse Rock’s “Conjunction Junction” easily won over the crowd’s heart. The positive atmosphere set the stage for the upbeat and fun flair of Cory Wong.

Couch’s Gallery:

Featured on tour is Mark Lettieri, introduced by Wong as “one of my good friends [and] one of the greatest guitar players to ever exist.” In the band are Eddie Barbash on soprano and alto saxophones, Kenni Holmen on tenor and soprano saxophones and clarinet, Dan White on baritone saxophone, Jay Webb on trumpet, Michael Nelson on trombone, Yohannes Tona on bass, Petar Janic on drums and cymbals, Nêgah Santos on percussion, and Kevin Gastonguay on keys. The Wongair crew donned matching blue jumpsuits with white-and-orange-striped sides. All in sync, they did not miss a beat…literally.

Interwoven and focused, they communicated easily on stage; nods, glances, and smiles guided the songs and transitions. The ultra-tight horn section remained a steady powerful unit throughout the entire show. With each solo, claps and cheers erupted, and the musicians exchanged their strongest stank faces. Both on and off stage, everyone seemed to be vibing to the music. Any spaces between songs were filled with cheerful whoops and the rumble of content laughter. Even for songs with darker sounds, the mood remained upbeat throughout the entire show.

“We’re having a good time trying out different things,” said Wong. “We keep adding to the catalog; different things with arrangements and instrumentation.”

The show never had a dull moment. Mid-set, Wong brought out Couch’s lead singer, Tema Siegel, for two songs; one of them, “Ain’t It Fun.” Then, Wong switched up the tempo with a fast-paced acoustic jam that had all eyes glued on stage. After that moment, Wong added to the lieu of fun surprises with a spin-off of a Chip’s Ahoy commercial.

As a preface, Wong explained that he first played clarinet in his middle school band. Trombonist Michael Nelson once mentioned to Wong that he “happens to not love the sound of the clarinet,” which meant a perfect opportunity for some lighthearted teasing.

“I was thinking of fun things to do for this tour fun, unique, musical moments,” said Wong. “And I was thinking, ‘How can I sneak in a need for the clarinet?’ How did I do it? I remembered one of my favorite childhood TV commercials from Chips Ahoy. If it doesn’t ring a bell it doesn’t matter. When the clarinet comes out that’s the moment.”

At the end of the set, a nightly news-type soundtrack played over the speakers and the stage was swiftly set up for a press conference; complete with an official “Wongair” backdrop. The musicians walked out and gathered around the plastic table ready to discuss the night’s performance, from every sixteenth note to the guests and personnel.

“Alright, we’re going to start this thing by just talking down the set list, see what went well, see what could use a little bit of touching up, and see how we can just get a small percentage better every night,” said Wong. “So that way we can promise that every show on this tour is the best show on this tour.”

In typical press conference fashion, Cory Wong and the band opened a Q&A section to the crowd. The questions varied: a self-proclaimed “big fan” requested “Pure Imagination” be squeezed into the encore, a Rutgers student studying piano and keyboard jazz asked for Wong’s advice to young growing musicians, and one fan asked Cory the same question he had asked in a previous concert two years ago: “When’s the stash coming back?” The answer: “The mustache is most likely not coming back unless I’m doing another bit,” said Wong, jokingly wincing at the memory. Closing the session, per a fan’s request, each musician shared their “hands down, all-time favorite” song.

The encore began with “Pure Imagination,” as promised, and segued to “Assassin”; two songs different in vibe, but both awesome nevertheless. It was easy to see that the crowd loved it; hands were raised in the air clapping along as cheers spontaneously erupted with each movement on stage. The high-energy happiness brought by Cory Wong and the Wongair musicians made for a great time and an unforgettable unique hangout.

Cory Wong Gallery: