Ella and Madalyn started 2023 strong by traveling to the Songbyrd Music House in Washington, D.C. to see Joy Again for their quick 3 show run. Due to the concert-dry end of December and beginning of January, the duo was anxious to finally see Joy Again, again!
After seeing the Philly-based band open for Wallows back in 2019, both Ella and Madalyn knew they were hooked. Their energy was unbeatable back then, and after seeing them again four years later, that has not changed. The Indie-Pop/Rock band is made up of singer and guitarist Sachi DiSerafino, singer and guitarist Arthur Shea, keyboardist Blaise O’Brien, bassist Kieran Ferris, keyboardist Zachary Tyndall, and drummer Will Butera. This mix of electronic sounds, heavy bass, and guitar gives the band a much different vibe than their peers. Their discography is full of both fun, bouncy melodies for dancing and heart-shattering, lo-fi tunes that you can dive into anytime you feel emotional.
Joy Again opened the show with a new song titled Goodbye on the setlist. Getting to hear some of the new songs they have been working on was very special, especially since they haven’t released a full album or EP since 2019. Throughout their entire set they sprinkled these new songs in with their hit songs such as “Kim,” “I’m Your Dog,” “Who Knows,” and “Special Secret Medicine.” By doing this, they were able to keep the crowd energized during the whole concert. During the show, the on-stage interactions between the band members were all very playful and genuine. This allowed the crowd to have a better understanding of their dynamic and mirror the same energy to the people around them. This led to a mosh pit opening up!
Later in the show, Sachi stayed out on stage while the rest of the band exited so he could play their second highest streamed song, “Necromancer.” It is a slow and solemn song about longing for your love. The entire crowd had a quick shift in energy because of the impact the song has made on many of them. You could hear fans singing along with Sachi, and it created a very beautiful moment in the show.
As the night came to an end, the rest of the band rejoined Sachi on stage to play a few more songs. They began with their popular single “Looking Out For You,” released in 2015. This instantly revived the crowd, leading to more dancing and another mosh pit. Everyone was going absolutely insane! For their final song, they played “Winter Snakes,” which is from their first album Forever, released in 2014. They told the crowd that this was one of their first songs that they ever wrote together, and then went on to play it perfectly. It was a great song to end the concert with since it is a bit slower and everyone could vibe together before heading home. Joy Again then thanked everyone involved with making the show happen, and exited the stage.
Seeing the growth that Joy Again has experienced from 2019 to 2023 was very exciting. They put on an amazing show, and sold out the whole venue. They rekindled Ella and Madalyn’s love for their music during this show, and both of them hope that you check out Joy Again’s music on your favorite streaming platform. Joy Again has one more show on February 25 in New York City, so if you’re close by, make sure to go and see them live!
Words by Ella Donovan with photos by Madalyn Schaller. If reposting please credit @almostfamouszine.