I have been trying to see HARBOUR live for two years.

And, for the last two years, I have been unsuccessful, from weather that causes power outages, to travel plans falling through and last-minute work schedule changes, I can finally say that I have seen HARBOUR live.

Back in another life when I was a college radio DJ, I got to introduce my audience which mostly consisted of my mom, to the song Judy You Hung the Moon off of Heatwave, HARBOUR’s second album. Since then, I’ve been obsessed with this band, and I made it a goal to see them live to see if they stand a little thing I love to call the live test.

The live test is fairly simple. If the band you like sounds the same, if not better in a live performance, they pass the test. Not only did HARBOUR pass this test, but so did their opener WILD PARTY.

As WILD PARTY kicked off the show, and I realized I for sure knew two of the songs they played with a third being pulled from the recesses of my brain. This was probably due to listening to Phantom Pop in high school but knowing nothing about bands besides  Seconds of Summer. WILD PARTY has great energy and stage presence, especially for a crowd that didn’t seem very into being present during their set. This struck me as odd because when asked, half the crowd raised their hands to say they knew who WILD PARTY was.

I mean this with no disrespect, and maybe because it was low light and my eyes are bad but their lead singer looks like Youtube’s Kurtis Conner and moves around like a balloon man outside of a car lot. But that being said it made for an interesting and enjoyable part of the show.

Watching WILD PARTY interact with their fans in between sets was so sweet. You can tell they genuinely care about forming a genuine connection with fans. They were super nice to chat with as well.

As we roll into the main event, HARBOUR, I only have one gripe and that is with the crowd. I weaved my way through the crowd with my digital camcorder and it was too easy because people in the front were just standing still, more focused on recording the show than enjoying the moment. This was at no fault of the bands though, because the farther back you got the more the people were dancing and getting into the performance.

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Jenn and her mom at the HARBOUR show in Cleveland, OH[/caption]

Maybe it sounds hypocritical of me to say that as I’m literally recording a concert, but it’s my job! I, however, was rocking out to my favorite songs in the back of the crowd, opting to find community rather than content. These were moments I wanted to create, and it’s so special that I got to make them with my mom. I got to hear my favorite songs live, and nothing will ever compare to that, so if you’re reading this HARBOUR or anyone in their management please consider a live album. I’ll give you $3 to fund it.  

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Jenn when hearing HARBOUR's cover of Me and Your Mama[/caption]

The set was perfectly paced, and I was engaged while I was there, which I cannot say most bands have the ability to do. A standout cover of Childish Gambino’s Me and Your Mama really shows the band’s ability to make it their own and did not feel out of place in the set at all. The stripped-back version of Judy You Hung the Moon made me so emotional, it felt raw and touched the deepest part of my soul.

While I wasn’t able to stay for the last couple of songs and see the finale as my agoraphobia and sensory issues were starting to overwhelm me, the dulcet final notes of Float ushered me out into the night I felt a sense of completeness I haven’t felt in a while.

While it hopefully will not take another two years to see HARBOUR again I can tell you that this was worth the wait, along with the trials and tribulations that came along with it. If you have a chance to see the I Only Wanna Create tour, do it. I promise you won’t regret it.

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