Brijean @ The Bellwether 7/12/2023

The Bellwether marquee 
photo by Nikki DeMartini

 

Slightly over a month ago, LA's newest concert venue, The Bellwether, opened it's doors to an irresistable roster of live shows! Phantogram headlined the sold-out grand opening on July 11th. People packed into the 1600 capacity room which had up until then only been known as a night club in years past. Reserected by the combined forces of the Bay Area based Another Planet Entertainment and LA's own Teragram Presents the walls of 333 Boylston Street dripped with sweat that warm summer night as fans rocked out at the very first show there. 

Show number two the next night boasted a different type of appeal. About half the max cap amout of tickets were sold for the duo headlining on July 12: Puerto Rican expatriates from Brooklyn, Raquel Berrios and Luis Alfredo Del Valle better known as Buscabulla with like minded opening band Brijean, a new music discovery from 2021. 

Brijean @ The Bellwether 7/12/2023
photo by Nikki DeMartini

Though only half the amount of tickets were sold, the show room filled up comfortably in comparssion to the stuffed and sweaty grand opening the night before.

Fans arrived early with a laid back air, ready to have a good time. 

The duo miticulously deliever a unqie blend of melodies created by an orchestra of instruments including different sized and shaped bongos, keys, synths, wind chimes, maracas just to name a few. Watching the two of them bring their music to life is quiet awe inspiring and as the crowd learned on July 12th, can also lead to some techinical difficuluites. After already running behind shcedule, Brjean was off to a shakey start yet impressively kept the show going as they  worked through the kinks.

To untrained ears, I thought they sounded great. As fans encouraed them as we anxiously watched the on stage struggle which both bandmates picked up on. After they got through the first two songs of the night, "Hey Boy" and "Ooo La La" Brijean seemed to let go and go with the flow. The crowd followed suit and soon enough everyone there was vibing. 

Brijean @ The Bellwether 7/12/2023
photo by Nikki DeMartini

Brijean @ The Bellwether 7/12/2023
photo by Nikki DeMartini

Front lady and namesake Brijean Murphy, took time to converse with the crowd, sharing how she grew up not too far from The Bellwether and learned to swin at the YMCA nearby. She shared graditude for playing at the brand new venue before trasitioning into the next song. 

Brijean @ The Bellwether 7/12/2023
photo by Nikki DeMartini

There were a couple instrumental interludes where the two just jammed, allowing the crowd to get lost in their sauce. The combined easygoing energies of the encouraging crowd and chill vibrations that flow from Brijean made for a non-judgemental room as more and more people in the intimate venue started finding their dancing shoes and intrepreting the band's music into their own groove.

Brijean @ The Bellwether 7/12/2023
photo by Nikki DeMartini

 

Brijean played a good mix of songs off their 2021 album, Feelings as well as their 2022 album, Angelo. 

One of my favoite songs of theirs, "Moody" made it to the set list near the end of their set. Brijean commented on what a big fan of Buscabulla and how special it was to be opening for them. With that said reflecting back it's fitting that "Daydreaming" closed out Brijean's opening set for one of their personal favorite bands. 

Brijean @ The Bellwether 7/12/2023
photo by Nikki DeMartini