MOD SUN AT IRVING PLAZA IN NEW YORK CITY
Mod Sun’s almost sold-out New York stop on his tour took place at Irving Plaza. This ballroom-style venue was rated one of America's 50 best concert venues! There are balconies surrounding the entire floor and even chandeliers on the ceiling. The temperature outside was supposed to be in the 30s, but increased during the day, making it not too bad for the fans lined up down the street. I can’t wait for warmer concert weather, and I’m sure they can’t either! When I talked to Mod Sun before his show, and he said, "You better get some good pictures of me in the pit.” I think I did just that!
Pardyalone took the stage first and gave off a chill and intimate vibe throughout his entire set. He was the only one on stage, accompanied by relaxing blue lights and a spotlight. Pardyalone moved around to all the different areas of the stage to give his fans a good view. After his set, he even walked around and said hi to everyone before the next band came on. This was his first tour and first show in New York City, but you couldn’t tell by his performance. All of the fans in attendance witnessed history!
Stand Atlantic took the stage next, coming all the way from Australia! Mod Sun referred to them as one of the best real bands in the game. Their most recent record, released in May last year, features artists like Royal & the Serpent, Tom The Mail Man, and nothing, nowhere. The lead singer, Bonnie, wore a Rangers jersey since the show was in New York. As an avid hockey fan who lives in New Jersey, I wish she wore a Devil's jersey, but I still think it’s cool when bands rep the area they are playing in. The band took control of the crowd and even split it in half during one of their songs. Crowd surfers were tossed up in the air throughout most of their set. During one of their intermissions between songs, they asked the crowd to take photos with their Apple watches. Even though it was a unique request, the crowd was all for it. The crowd got a little intense sometimes, but Bonnie had excellent crowd control and reminded the fans that it isn’t cool to fight at venues. Their guitarist had some of the most incredible spin moves I have ever seen!
Now the moment everyone had been waiting three hours for, Mod Sun finally took the stage! A recording started with all different voices saying, “God Save The Teen,” the title of his newest album, released on February 3, 2023. Then, Mod Sun appeared and the crowd went crazy. He slowly walked up to the stage and sat in a metal folding chair behind a typewriter. He began to type on it as the album's first track, “Eyelids”, began to play in the background. After he typed on the typewriter, he took the first page and crumpled it up. Then he continued to type, and when he was finished, he walked up to the microphone and began his first song, “Eyelids”, accompanied by his drummer and guitarist. The second song he renamed for each state to make it memorable throughout the tour, so for our stop, it was renamed to “New York’s song”. Mod Sun said he wanted Irving Plaza to blow the roof off the place. He said it was the most energy he had seen on tour. Mod Sun asked the crowd if they were ready, then said he wanted to see the room shake. He asked every person there to put their hands up, wave them, and not put them down while he sang “Annoying”. The venue began jumping, and he asked them to open the pit. Mod Sun gave the fans in the pit a pep talk by telling them if someone fell, pick them up and to be good to each other.
The spotlight came on for “Bones” and he slowed down the set. Next came “When We’re Dead” and the crowd waved their hands back and forth. The emotion was pouring out as they screamed along with Mod Sun. He said that the scene is alive and well in New York City! Before playing his song “Stay Away”, he talked about his best friend featured in the song, Machine Gun Kelly. This is a favorite of mine and many other Mod Sun fans, with over 50 million plays on Spotify! Next, he did a cover of “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls and said his favorite line is, “When everything feels like the movies, and you bleed just to know you’re alive.” He made sure to get up close and personal with the crowd during this song, even getting off the stage and standing on the barricade steps. The next song was “Karma”, where Mod Sun took over the drums and played an insane drum solo!
The New York City stop of his tour was extraordinary. Travie McCoy, the former vocalist of Gym Class Heroes, even made a special guest appearance on this date, and he and Mod Sun sang along to “Cupid’s Chokehold / Breakfast in America”. Be sure to catch the other dates left on Mod Sun’s tour to see what other surprises he has in store for his fans!