Floriography is the language of flowers, and in it, a sunflower is a sign of adoration, appreciation, and admiration. On Monday night, at a sold-out Bowery Ballroom sunflowers were visibly wrapped around mic stands, drum kits, and lighting equipment on the stage for Briston Maroney’s Sunflower World Tour. However, the deeper meaning in the language of these flowers wouldn’t be felt until midway through the rising rockers set.
Silhouettes backed by a yellow spotlight shined as the four-piece band took the stage. Maroney settling in the center began breathing techniques with the spotlight moving to him alone. Briston did live meditation into the mic as the beginning notes of ‘Meditation’ echoed throughout the iconic New York City venue. Those brief moments just before the notes rang helped clear space for the high-energy set Briston Maroney was about to begin the show with. The band came out with an electric set. Meditation was followed by ‘Bottle Rocket’ and ‘It’s Still Cool If You Don’t.’
As a unit, they were electric. Briston’s vocals soared as usual. However, the band as a collective brought an energy beyond what I expected, and I had high expectations. It was euphoric and they were each elevating each other. As a group, they created audible excitement and it was electric. After a quick guitar change the band played a crowd favorite ‘Freeway.’ Double middle fingers flashed over the sold-out crowd as Briston and the audience exclaimed “I wanna run down the freeway at midnight, Middle finger to road signs that tell me, I’ve gone too far.”
Briston Maroney
Following the song, Maroney knelt as he tuned the guitar for the next song, but it soon became evident that this was more than a brief pause. His hand moved from the guitar to covering his face. As a member of the audience, the first thought was that it must have been an emotional moment. A sold-out crowd was yelling the chorus in unison with him after a vulnerable song, it would be hard for that not to draw emotion. However, it was more than that.
The singer-songwriter rose and the band played ‘Fool’s Gold.’ Near the end of the song, the band wasn’t playing. It was a Briston Maroney solo, a member of the crowd shushed and the only sounds were coming from the stage. It was powerful and intimate. On the last note of the song you could hear the emotion in his voice as it shook.
How are you doing?
Briston between songs spoke to his bandmate Devin, asking “How are you doing?” Devin ultimately asked him back to which Briston replied “Bad. Fucking Bad.” A few moments passed Maroney asked if he could play a solo. Now alone on stage, the singer opened up saying “I’m not doing awesome as you could tell with me crying.” he continued saying, “I can’t lie. All I want to do is go sit down, but all of you are here right now. I hope you all have people that you can be honest to, that love you. And if you don’t think you do, I promise you do.”
For a moment it felt like the show was going to end, and prior to the set was so incredible that I don’t think the crowd would have minded. The five songs before were enough to get your money’s worth. However, the notes for the next song came and as they did Maroney noted “I’m usually funny.” and after another brief moment, “Like Hilarious.”
It was a uniquely vulnerable yet powerful moment. As the star was experiencing what was later revealed to be a panic attack on stage, the crowd was loving and as the sign of the sunflower suggests, full of admiration. The adoration for Briston Maroney only grew as the night went on, but this moment of honesty was beautiful.
June
Solo on stage Briston sang the vulnerable lyrics of ‘June.’ All eyes and ears were on stage and a room full-to-capacity felt strangely intimate. Fans sang along singing “Ain’t it funny how I wanted this all my life? Ain’t it funny how I got it here and it don’t seem right? Ain’t it funny how we all want to be someone new? Ain’t it funny how we all want to be someone new? Ain’t it funny how I fell in love and then came June?”
The rest of the band rejoined Briston on stage and all three circled around to check on their friend while also bringing him some hot tea. Maroney shouted them out and their nice gesture. He also exclaimed that those were the slower songs and it’s time to get loud again. ‘Rollercoaster’ and ‘Sinkin’ brought an energetic punch back to the stage.
Briston & Devin
Following ‘I’ve Been Waiting,’ Maroney was again overcome with emotion, this time as he knelt his friend Devin knelt talking to his friend. It was a moment that was both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Heartwarming in the love that was felt and again the realization of the sign of the sunflower. But heartbreaking in the thought of being on a giant stage and having the inability to control your emotions due to a panic attack.
It was an incredible thing to see. His honesty in sharing his experience with loving fans brought an amazing power to the show. It created a ping-ponging back and forth of love and adoration sent from the crowd to the stage. Briston Maroney was giving it his all for an appreciative crowd who was sending it all back his way. The crowd and band went on an unplanned journey together and there was a spirit of bonding in the air. It feels easy to say any patron in the audience this night at Bowery Ballroom got a show they will never forget. With the music alone, the concert was a powerful spectacle. But combined with the emotion, honesty, and strength that Briston Maroney displayed it was beyond special.
As the band exited the stage following ‘Freaking Out On The Interstate,’ and Briston expressed sincere joy in his “Thank you New York” as he stood and waved. It felt like a moment of relief. The applause he was receiving was well-earned and if not for venue restraints could have went on-and-on.
Thank you Briston Maroney for your sincere honesty and vulnerability. Breaking down the wall of performing to share something so personal was powerful and relatable. We all have had days like that, but never with the expectation to play deeply-personal songs to hundreds of people. Thank you.
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