More DRAMA music

 Shortly after the release of their debut album Dance without Me on Valentine's Day 2020, the R&B/indie fusion duo DRAMA hit the road in support of it. Less than a month later Na'el Shehade and Via Rosa found themselves in San Francisco for three shows. First up was a free show at Amoeba record store on Haight street on March 2nd, then at two sold-out, headlining shows at The Independent on March 3rd and 4th. 

DRAMA @ The Independent 3/4/2020
photo by Marc Fong 

A few days after their third show in SF the rest of their tour, along with every other tour everywhere,  was abruptly canceled as COVID lock-downs raged across the world almost as quickly as the as the virus itself. DRAMA was the last pre-covid show that was officially covered for Sweet Sound Bites. 

DRAMA @ The Independent 3/4/2020
photo by Marc Fong

 I wasn't too familiar with them then but they had a lot of buzz and even though I couldn't cover them in SF myself due to working the Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival in Florida, I did get approved to cover DRAMA at The Independent on March 4th, 2020 for my blog. Pictures from that show were stunning, giving me FOMO as soon as I saw them. Lighting fixtures separately framed Shehade and Rosa in warm violet hues in a perfectly minimalistic way while enchantingly embodying their sultry sound.  

With a short festival circuit in 2021, DRAMA wasted no time getting back in the game playing Lollapalooza, Life Is Beautiful and Outside Lands. Before the festival on Halloween weekend they headlined an Outside Lands night show On Wednesday October 27th, 2021. Having missed them while working Lollapalooza and potentially missing them while working Outside Lands, I was stoked to be able to see them at the picturesque art deco venue, Bimbo's 365 Club. Though there's no doubt they bring it to their festivals sets they strike me as a must see one off show duo. And I wasn't wrong about that. 

DRAMA @ Bimbo's 365 Club 10/27/2021
photo by Nikki DeMartini 

With the same lighting and stage set up that they had when they played at The Independent 19 months earlier, their exuberance for being back in SF matched that of the crowd. I can't recall a moment there wasn't a smile on Shehade's face through out the whole show. They sounded good, they looked good, it was a damn good show that made you feel good and left you feeling good. 

Last week DRAMA announced that they're gearing up to release a new EP on February 18th titled "Don't Wait Up" and they've already given us three songs off of it: "3AM", "Dark Rain" and "Don't Hold Back" and they've all been on a steady repeat since. 

The first music festival up for DRAMA this year happens to be the same festival I worked when I missed them at The Independent, Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival in Florida. I'm working that festival again this year so maybe it'll be my first time catching them at a fest, maybe it'll be yours.

 
DRAMA is touring too if you really want to immerse yourself in those intimate vibes of theirs at a more intimate show. 

DRAMA @ Bimbo's 365 Club 10/27/2021
photo by Nikki DeMartini