The Darcys // Fortune Sound

If you’re trying to get me interested off the bat, turns out 80’s Las Vegas neon lights and a well groomed mustache will do the trick. First impressions are real, people, and this one had my eyes watering.

Where I would normally find such a boisterous backdrop confusing, I can’t actually remember if the palm tree kept flashing once lead singer Jason Couse stepped out and began the performance with “Studio City.” What could have been an overpowering stage was quickly rationalized when The Darcys stepped onto it.

Couse’s immersion in the beat combined with Wes Marskell smiling like a kid on Christmas got me on the bandwagon quick. Seemingly able to do it all, they interchanged between guitars, drums, and keyboard. Even a glow in the dark tambourine made a guest appearance. All this while boogieing around the stage, making eyes at each other, jostling plants out of the way, gliding from one hit to the next – the whole time holding us in their Hawaiian wonderland.

Their sound is original to the point that it’s instantly recognizable, but not so much that (like so many artists these days) it felt played out. I didn’t realize how amped up I was getting with each successive song – during the bridge of “Black Diamonds” I had to remind myself to glance around, checking on the crowd to make sure I wasn’t the only one bopping around ridiculously to their techno rock jams.

The Darcys have an apparent comfort on stage. It made me wonder whether this came from their 10 years honing their sound together, or just from their undeniable bromance. Either way, these two could sell their palm tree clad shtick to anyone watching them do their thing.

The show’s icing on the cake was served in the form of two covers (as if their original set wasn’t good enough). Giving the all-knowing crowd exactly what they were hollering for, we got a fitting Prince-gone-Darcys rendition of “Kiss.” Then, to sum up the night, came Foreigner’s “I Wanna Know What Love Is,” which felt like their perfect goodbye. As the crowd joined in with Couse, it suddenly felt like we were a drunken mob swaying with our arms around each other, singing a throw back tune. Then, as all the background beats fell away, leaving only Couse and his guitar, my final feeling was of being serenaded by the coolest guy in at my school.