There was a rare stillness inside the 3Olympia Theatre on Wednesday night as The Paper Kites took to the stage. Touring in support of their January release “If You Go There, I Hope You Find It”, the Australian five-piece delivered an intimate, quietly confident set.
Backlit and silhouetted, the band entered in a tight huddle for opening track “Morning Gum” and the venue fell silent. With a discography as deep as theirs, the following set never stagnated. Older favourites blended seamlessly with the newer material, each song adding another layer to the evening’s gentle momentum. The most notable moment came midway through the show when the band stepped offstage into the center of the audience where they gathered around a glowing orb. Hit track “Bloom” – having now amassed over a billion streams, was unsurprisingly the highlight play from the lot.
Support came from Bess Atwell, whose rich, melancholic tone carried effortlessly across the theatre. Comparisons to Lana Del Rey feel inevitable, but Atwell’s songwriting stands firmly on its own. By the time she left the stage, it was clear she had won over more than a few new admirers.
Bess Atwell photos:
The Paper Kites photos & set-list:
Set-list:
Morning Gum
Change of the Wind
Till the Flame Turns Blue
Every Town
Black & Thunder
Dearest (with Bess Atwell)
Paint
Bleed Confusion
Without Your Love
Electric Indigo
Walk Above the City
Shake Off the Rain
Deep (In the Plans We Made)
Give Me Your Fire, Give Me Your Rain
On the Train Ride Home
Bloom
When the Lavender Blooms
Photos & Words by Myles Dunne – @MylesDunnePhoto