Originally hailing from Chicago, Brigitte Calls Me Baby is currently coasting through the country on their first tour. After releasing their first pair of singles, they dropped their debut EP, This House Is Made of Corners, late last year. WXPN named the group our Artist to Watch for February and they followed up their show last night at World Cafe Live with a sold-out set for the Free at Noon series. Their sound is undeniably nostalgic, fusing together a vast stew of influences spanning multiple eras of rock and roll history. There’s some rockabilly bounce present in the rhythm section, some Strokes-sounding fuzz on the guitars, and some 80’s sparkle to their sweeping synth sounds. Frontman Wes Leavins commanded the stage with his mysterious movie-star charisma and soaring voice – a familiar yet fresh mixture of Morrisey, Roy Orbinson, and Elvis Presley.
Brigitte Calls Me Baby blazed through tracks from This House Is Made of Corners, building upon their cleanly produced recordings with a bigger, sometimes booming live energy. Even early in their career, the group plays with the tight chemistry you’d expect from a much older, more seasoned band. Amongst the group, Jeremy Benshish was a particular highlight, stealing the spotlight with his hugely dynamic drumming. It seemed apparent all the members are true friends, unafraid to goofily push each other around to the delight of a dancing audience. The band surprised the crowd with an unexpected cover of the timeless Wham hit “Careless Whisper.” They impressively made one of the biggest hits of the 80’s their own, transforming the saxophone slow-jam into an uptempo rock jam.
The whole show built to the climactic “The Future is Our Way Out,” a dark-up breakup epic that echoes the glamorous gloom of the Smiths. Beginning with ground-shaking bass, the performance peaked as Leavins flexed his vocal mastery, stretching out a final note and raising the microphone stand above his head. Brigitte Calls Me Baby is only just getting started, but the sold-out crowd was fully aware they had been treated to a set by future rock royalty.