Bryce Vine Live at Gramercy Theater Show Review
I was disappointed to find the circular-red couch beneath Gramercy Theater missing on the night of February 5th, 2019. It was the first show I had been to at Gramercy without its presence. If the way I’d sit between sets was about to change, I thought, so was the way I would watch the show that night.
The crowd, made up of dolled-up, young men and women, piled into the venue as quickly as they could. The security guards questioned my familiar red backpack, already unzipped for them to look through. Against the gleaming, grey New York City sidewalks, dozens of feet shuffled up the line and into the black and red hallways of Gramercy Theater.
As I made my way downstairs and met the missing red couch, Tyler Wilson of 7715, and previously of Hollywood Ending, walked by and sat across from me. It was reassuring to see a familiar face amongst a sea of strangers, even if he faintly recognized mine. The music world is a tight-knit web.
7715 was the first band of the night to take the stage. They were obviously missing a drummer and needed to tighten up their performance, but they did what they should’ve done in any imperfect situation and had fun. They smiled and interacted with the crowd, as any boy band should. The alternative edginess I was hoping for lacked a little, but I think the nerves of having their first night of tour in New York, may have gotten the best of them.
I waited patiently downstairs, to see Bryce Vine appear on the screens. I wandered back upstairs when I felt the venue’s energy rising, and to my delight, when I arrived in the pit, Vine was right there, his back facing the crowd. I suddenly flashed back to our interview, the unknowingness in his voice, as he answered a question about the future of his music career. I knew, in that moment, that something had been answered.
He turned around, smiling, and exclaimed, “This is my first sold out New York show!”. The crowd was ecstatic for him, so in awe of the superstar who stood tall in front of them.
The amount of love in the room was hard to size up. What could not be contained drifted into the air and onto the stage for Vine to utilize. He made the most of the stage, as the crowd, all of a sudden, became packed wall-to-wall. Many people showed up just in time for Vine. Everyone in that room was captivated by Bryce Vine as an artist, attentive to each lyric, and sincerely happy to be there.
Every song was delivered in Vine’s rich voice and innovative dance moves. The crowd was lively for a New York crowd, to say the least. Everyone knew the words to his songs, “Guilty Pleasure,” “Sour Patch Kids,” and “Drew Barrymore.” But this was expected. What shocked me was how many people knew the words to every song. It is a pleasure to see fans in their natural habitat.
Live Review By: Bri Born