There was no other place to be on Tuesday night than right in the heart of Williamsburg. Part of the Red Bull Sound Select series, Baby’s All Right hosted an eclectic lineup headlined by Dan Deacon with local support Future Punx and The Great Void. After an Australia/New Zealand festival swing, the show marked Deacon’s first 2015 appearance in North America in anticipation of Glass Riffer, his latest album slated for a February 24th release.  

The Great Void kicked off the night in the small and intimate (read: sweaty) venue, getting the crowd loose with an interesting synth-pop motif. Future Punx soon followed, mixing a very heavy bass line with a shade of Nintendo-like beeps that surprisingly complemented their righteously punk lyrics. 

Dan Deacon was last to go on, and the crowd was raring to dance. The Long Island native began his set by addressing the crowd for a few minutes before touching a dial. In what was part comedy shtick, part introduction, Deacon touched on his local upbringing and recent touring, apologized that his show was going to cause so much future antibiotic usage due to the windy cold weather outside, and applauded the local staff in their ability to navigate the crowd in the adjoining bar with large food trays straight out of a Game of Thrones dinner. He soon got to playing and the subdued crowd instantly went wild.

With an intense focus on his craft, Deacon dug into his diverse discography, alternating songs among his three last albums, pulling “True Thrush” from 2013’s America, “Paddling Ghost” from 2009’s Bromst, and “The Cat Crystal” from 2007’s Spiderman of the Rings. At one point, Deacon attempted to create a dance circle in the middle of the crowd, customary for his live performances, which worked momentarily before being swallowed up by a lively mosh pit. He later stopped mid-song to put an end to the unnecessary moshing, rebooting the festive atmosphere by showing true empathy for his fans’ well-being.

The raucous set ended close to midnight, leaving fans warm and sweaty as they bundled up to brave the harsh New York winter once again. Be sure to catch Dan Deacon again at Rough Trade NYC later this month in time for Glass Riffer‘s release. 

Photos by Aaron Glick (@aaronsglick)