REVIEW: Belle and Chain Bring a Sultry and Western-Inspired Rock Set to The Sultan Room in Brooklyn
REVIEW
REVIEW
☆ BY SULLIVAN JORDAN ☆
Photos By Michelle Paradís
JUST AS THE SUN SET ON ONE OF THE FIRST COMFORTABLY WARM SPRING DAYS THAT NEW YORK CITY HAD SEEN IN MONTHS, a passionate group of music fans gathered at The Sultan Room, a small, vibrantly lit nightclub in Brooklyn. With drinks in hand, the audience’s warmth of chatter and laughter filled the intimate space as friends and couples eagerly awaited the opening act to take the stage.
Supporting Barns Courtney on his North American tour, Belle and Chain (helmed by actor and filmmaker Spencer Grammer, with musician Davis IL lending his diverse range of vocal and instrumental skills) stepped onto the stage and quickly captured everyone’s attention. The room went quiet as everyone’s focus turned toward Grammer, whose matching red leather set and bright blonde hair instantly set the tone for the show to come.
She introduced herself and her bandmate before kicking the evening off with a soft and relaxing rendition of their song “Laila.” Her whimsical vocals shone as IL gently strummed the guitar, and the audience listened intently, swaying to the gentle rhythm.
Grammer swung her acoustic guitar over her shoulder before performing a stripped-back version of the band’s latest release, “Don’t You Worry Babe,” a western-inspired rock track with grounded instrumentals and rustic vocals. The dark space and sultry edge in Grammer’s voice captivated the audience, making for an intimate and charged performance. The song came to a dramatic finish as Grammer belted the final chorus, filling the space with her rich and twangy vocals.
The set continued with “Consequence,” a haunted and mystical track evoking the band’s western-inspired sound. Grammer’s vocals whistled throughout the song as the guitar instrumentals kept the melodies grounded and alive with a palpable and buzzing energy.
Grammer took a pause before the next song to officially introduce herself and her band. She explained that although she grew up in Los Angeles, New York City feels like her true home. While Grammer has been involved in the arts her whole life, building a successful career as an actress and filmmaker, she found music later in life after surviving a violent stabbing that left permanent nerve damage in her right hand. Turning towards music as a therapeutic coping mechanism, she picked up the guitar and discovered a deep love for songwriting. The room listened attentively and cheered as she encouraged everyone to work hard for their dreams and to always chase their passions, even when they seem impossible.
Grammer introduced “No Friends in LA,” a meditative track dedicated to her feelings of isolation and loneliness in the place she grew up. Her soothing vocals wove comfortably in and out of the steady instrumental beat as she ruminated on the challenges of making friends as an adult. “No Friends in LA” marked a subtle but beautiful shift in Belle and Chain’s performance as Grammer’s vulnerability opened an emotional dialogue between her and the audience. The song’s honest lyrics drew listeners in, allowing everyone to feel more open and connected.
Belle and Chain continued their set with a cover of Geese’s “Cobra,” putting their own mystical spin on the acoustic instrumentals and vocals as the audience buzzed with excitement. Jumping into another cover, Belle and Chain performed a soft and melancholic rendition of Lana Del Rey’s “Blue Jeans.” Grammer filled each lyric with her resonant vocals, a western twang creeping in as the instrumentals grew more supple and subdued.
The band concluded their set with a fiery and sassy “situationship” song called “Lollipop,” dedicated to the feelings of hot anger and revenge that a complex and toxic relationship often stirs up. Dramatically shedding her coat halfway through the song, Grammer let her limbs fly wild as she danced around the small stage and allowed her vocals to belt out each stinging lyric.
