Sean Scanlon, lead singer of Smallpools, emerged from the darkness and white fog, perched atop an empty drum case overlooking and directing the crowd that filled Cat’s Cradle on a breezy Monday night. The audience’s cheers echoed from wall-to-wall inside the small live music venue, local beer spilled from the plastic pint beer cups in the hands of college students.
Strobe lights beamed into the antsy audience, a crowd anxious to experience the four-piece indie-pop band hailing from Los Angeles.
Scanlon’s voiced replaced the crowd’s deafening appraisal as the quartet kicked off the show with the well-known track “Over & Over” from their first EP, Smallpools.
The American indie-pop foursome broke into the musical spotlight in 2013 with their renowned single, “Dreaming.” Featured on the FIFA 14 soundtrack, the song captivated the ears of millions across the globe, which led to the unanticipated success of their debut album.
As anticipated, Smallpools blew the doors off Cat’s Cradle jamming to nearly every song from their only album.
“This next song is about a girl who wants to escape her fish bowl life,” Scanlon said.
“Mason Jar” pulsated the two enormous speakers hanging from the ceiling. A song well known by Smallpools’ diehards.
The band benefited from the awe-inspiring light show that accompanied the musical performance. The crowd’s energy highlighted the night as vibrations could be felt running up your spine due to the pitch of the keyboard mixed with the audience’s shouts.
Smallpools broke up their intoxicating music with commentary on how each song came to be. They stressed that the celebrity status isn’t all what it’s cracked up to be, inspiring the hit song “Admission To Your Party.”
In addition to the advice given, Scanlon told the amusing story on how hit single “Karaoke” from their debut album Lovetap! came to be.
We signed up for The Killer’s ‘Human’ at local karaoke nights and covered the track with our own song. The audience had no idea what was going on but they also didn’t care.
The night was filled with memorable moments, from playing keepie-uppie with blow up killer whales while jamming to “Killer Whales” to having Scanlon breathe down your neck as he escaped from view, only to reappear in the back of the audience and maneuver his way through an ecstatic crowd.
“This is our last song. Our fake last song,” Scanlon said.
Smallpools exited the stage as Cat’s Cradle went pitch-black. They were expected to return as their song that took them from dreamers to stars hadn’t electrified the audience yet.
Before too long, the rainbow colored strobe lights painted the ceiling and audience’s faces an array of blues and greens one last time. Scanlon sang into his microphone, sounded his keyboard, while fellow band members strummed and beat the drums one last time. The audience cheered along, singing the optimistic lyrics as the band destined for the top closed out an unforgettable night in Carrboro, N.C.
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