Cults at Velvet Jones

A lot can happen in a year, and for few is that truer than it is for Cults. Shortly after taking the stage at a very sold-out Velvet Jones last Saturday, the New York indie rockers got a little sentimental. “Almost a year ago to the day, we were the first of three bands playing Muddy Waters,” said guitarist Brian Oblivion humbly. “And now we’re here, and it’s, well, thank you.” In the span of a little more than 12 months, Cults have gone from blog buzz generators to major-label darlings, their swoon-worthy mix of child-like whimsy and ’60s-inspired nostalgia scoring them more sync and licensing deals than we can count, as well as a big-time recording deal with Columbia Records.

Fortunately for us, Cults have managed to both live up to the hype and transition well to larger stages. On Saturday, Oblivion and frontwoman Madeline Follin appeared the quintessential indie couple — both coifed with flowing dark manes, he hunkering over his guitar as she cooed and wailed into the mike. The set was a solid and near-complete live reworking of the band’s eponymous debut (plus a Leonard Cohen cover for good measure) that not only never veered too far from its recorded counterpart but also managed to sound impressively spot-on. In Follin, Cults have found a frontwoman who can expertly walk the line between approachable and commanding. Better still, she has a voice well worth keeping an ear on in the future. n

Set List:

1. “Abducted”
2. “The Curse”
3. “Never Heal Myself”
4. “Most Wanted”
5. “You Know What I Mean”
6. “Bumper”
7. “Never Saw the Point”
8. “Rave On”
9. “Everybody Knows” (Leonard Cohen cover)
10. “Walk at Night”
11. “Go Outside”

12. “Oh My God”