Hip Hop meets Punk Rock in the City of the Reflective Bean
Article by Molly Maloney
Joey Valence and Brae got everyone's week started off on the right foot this past Monday night with their performance at Subterranean. The duo from Pennsylvania gained lots of popularity on TikTok and other online platforms with their hit song “Punk Tactics.” but would their live performance live up to their viral online persona?
The answer is yes, without a doubt surpassing my expectations.
As did the opener, Sloe Jack, who riled up the crowd with his fast paced lyricism accompanied by Chase Vernon on drums. The artist from a small county in Australia says the drums give everyone something to watch, “especially in the opening you want to get everyone going.” The sold out show had the venue packed, and Sloe Jack was able to get everyone moving from the get-go.
The jumping and aggressive head bobbing intensified with his song “BRAIN ROT” and the energy continued as he performed other songs from his album “BACKSTAB.” Sloe Jack showcased an impressive amount of creativity in his lyricism, and his vocal delivery transmitted a mix of intense and aggressive emotions that gripped the audience.
He talked about his music being “the only thing that got me on the straightened arrow,” and is inspired by a variety of rock, grunge, and dub-step music. The Australian artist loved the hype crowd in Chicago saying, “The show was dope. Shout out Chicago. Shout out Michael Jordan. Shout out that reflective bean.”
Both Joey Valence and Sloe Jack grew up and had a passion for making electronic music. This helped make the seamless transition from the opener to Joey Valence and Brae. They opened up with the song “WATCH YO STEP” from their album “PUNK TACTICS.” Immediately, the duo firmly established a hold on the crowd with the pulsating bass and their relentless energy.
Joey Valence and Brae have extremely entertaining online content. You can’t scroll past a TikTok with captions like “Normalize Using the Worst Sound Effects in Songs” or not finish a music video that begins with “we decided to make a music video using only the worst camera angles.” Their retro, 90’s style music videos are executed perfectly to fit the vibe of the song. The music videos make you feel like an integral part of the visual narrative, and their live show is equally, if not more, engaging.
Their vocals paired with the intense bass and sound effects give a unique edge to their music. A crowd member said “This is literally Beastie Boys 2.0.” Joey Valence and Brae have a style that is sharp and fast-paced, incorporating a lot of humor and references to pop culture, memes, video games, movies, etc. One of my favorite lines from their song “DANCE NOW” was “I show speed, yes, I’m Messi / I don’t do Coke, I do Pepsi.” Their songs also always have a killer hook that the crowd yells back at them. For the same song, everyone in unison repeated “I don’t wanna talk, I just wanna dance.”
The dynamic duo also let the crowd have their own moment. Five audience members competed to see who could do the best worm, and they even brought someone on stage who did a flip and (almost) landed. The venue was constantly buzzing, and the mosh pits were without a doubt matching the intensity of their music by the end of the show.
A shout out from the performers was given out to all of the 50+ year olds in the crowd, who persevered through the unrelenting jumping and screaming. Joey Valence and Brae also gave the set list to a small girl in the front row, who screamed and hugged her dad with excitement when she received it.
All the performers of the night cared for the crowd and made sure everyone had a great time, and their genuinity and authenticity was evident. The tour will visit cities like Minneapolis, Denver, and Salt Lake City, where, unfortunately, a giant reflective bean is notably absent.
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Stream Joey Valence and Brae on Spotify below!