Photos by Joanna Gleason
Review by Jean Senat Fluery
On September 29, 2024, Mickey Darling performed at House of Blues, in Boston, Massachusetts. The group, inspired by bedroom pop acts such as Boy Pablo, Gus Dapperton, and Rex Orange County, formed in early fall 2008, played as opener for Valley.
An indie-pop duo from San Antonio, TX, Mickey Darling arrived on stage around 8:00 p.m. Skyler played lead vocals and provided creative creation for the band and Austin provided creative assistance.
Two talented musicians, the duo played some of their singles and EPs: I Want I Want I Want: A 2023 single; Mallcore Movies: A 2023 single; Is That So Wrong: A 2023 single; Broken People Breaking Hearts: A 2024 single; Ripping My Shirt: A 2024 single.
It was fun photographing Skyler and Austin. They have a sense of humor and they are both charismatic and charming on stage. They have an outgoing, energetic, and likable personality that seems to naturally draw the audience to them.
Mickey Darling Setlist
- You Were Perfect & I’m Sorry
- Say That You Miss Me
- Pink Socks
- Blah Blah Blah
- Feed My Ego
- Vroom Vroom
- Wallows Song
- Somewhere Else
- Shia Labeouf
- Pity Party
- Big Sad
- Reverse Cowgirl
At 9:30 p.m. Valley, the Canadian indie pop band based in Toronto, as headliner, took the stage. Valley’s music was more centered on classic rock and hard rock. A very enthusiastic crowd was dancing, singing, jumping for a night of a combination of ballads and faster rock songs. The band had a magnificent connection with the fans, sometimes requesting the songs they wanted to hear.
The band members of Valley are lead vocalist and guitarist Rob Laska, bassist, keyboardist and backing vocals Alex Dimauro, and drummer, backing and lead vocals, Karah James. Valley played several songs: “Tempo”, “Champagne”, “Break for You”, “Have a Good Summer”, “Keep my Stuff”, “When you Know Someone”, “Let it Rain”, “Water the Flowers”, “Pray for a Garden”, “Good, but not Together” featured on different albums: Maybe, Last Birthday, Lost in Translation, Like 1999, Society, Tempo, etc.
The group released their debut EP, Car Test, in 2015, and followed up with This Room is White in 2016. In 2018 they released Maybe Side A, the first of two Eps featuring tracks planned for their full-length debut album; the second EP, Maybe Side B, followed in spring 2019, and the full album Maybe released in September 2019.
Valley released their single “Nevermind” in July 2020, which was then followed by “Hiccup.” In February 2021, the band released their single “Like 1999.” Midway through 2021, they released the single “Society”, and on July 23, 2021, they released the Single “Tempo.”
The band released Water the Flowers, Pray for a Garden on August 30, 2024, their first album as a trio. They received a Juno Award nomination for Breakthrough Group of the Year at the 2020 Juno Awards as well as a nomination for Group of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2022.
As a photographer of rock, indie pop and pop bands with many years of experience, Valley’s songs amazed me. They were insanely terrific. The lyrics made the public jump in a manner that fired the room. It was really fun to meet the artists after the show and talk to them about their music.
Valley Setlist
- Water the flowers, pray for a garden
- Have a Good Summer (Without Me)
- Bass Player’s Brother
- Break for You
- A Phone Call in Amsterdam
- sucks to see you doing better
- Crawlspace (New Song)
- A Little More
- hiccup
- Let It rain
- Swim
- There’s Still A Light in the House
- Bop Ba
- When You Know Someone
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