Making their final stop on the U.S. leg of their “portals//polarities tour,” Night Tapes chose San Antonio of all places to close this trek and I’m so happy they did.
They engulfed the main stage at Paper Tiger with every shade of blue imaginable, creating an incredible dream-pop atmosphere that entranced the crowd for a full hour and a half. The time truly flew by.
I discovered the band through my all-reliable Spotify radio playlists when “drifting” came on. It was instantly one of the best dream-pop songs I had heard in a long time so when I followed that up by listening to their new record, “portals//polarities,” and found that to be one of my favorite albums of the year, this became a must-see show for me.
The UK-Estonian band didn’t pack in the largest crowd I’ve ever seen but they sure brought in an energetic and genuine crowd. The room was full of some of the best vibes I’ve felt at a show all year, and that wouldn’t have been possible without these three members.
With Iiris Vesik on vocals, Max Doohan on drums, Sam Richards on guitar and synth, the band creates a soundscape that’s so dreamy, lively and comforting. Iiris’s voice especially blew me away. The high notes that I loved so much from her were natural and felt even more powerful to hear live. She combined that with her ethereal stage presence and her flute playing that I didn’t expect either. It felt like a magical trance.
All my favorite songs off the record translated so beautifully live, I’d say they sounded even better than on the album. “Helix” and “television” have been standouts for me but playing “storm” live took the night to a whole other level. It takes this really sick electronic turn that lit up the crowd, jumping along with Iiris when the beat came in. And when it came time for “drifting” it just hit exactly as I hoped, the fans singing along to every word, with Night Tapes holding us all in the palm of their hand.
Night Tapes has the absolute best kind of late-night music. Their ethereal qualities remind me of Beach House but they have the grooviness of something like Empire of the Sun. Seeing those energies come together in this live atmosphere was something truly special, and I’m so glad San Antonio got to be the city to end the tour with.
