The first time I saw Valley was as an opener in Salt Lake City in 2019 when I was there to cover The Band Camino at The Complex. I knew one or two Valley songs and enjoyed them, but after seeing them live, I was hooked. Have you ever been at a show where the opener was so good that it took away from the headlining act? That’s what happened to me this night at The Complex. Valley played such a fun and strong opening set that when The Band Camino took the stage, there was an energy shift, and I missed Valley. That’s not a knock on The Band Camino, as it complements Valley.
Comprised of Rob Laska, Mickey Brandolino, Alex Dimauro, and Karah James, Valley has a special collaborative energy. They formed in high school when a scheduling mistake at a studio brought them together, and they have been making pop hits ever since. I’ve seen Valley a few more times after that initial performance that ruined The Band Camino’s set in 2019, and each time leave with a new appreciation for the band. The latest experience with Valley was no different, except that it was a smaller venue and much more intimate occasion. On Thursday night at Mercury Lounge, fans crowded the intimate room in the back of a bar to celebrate Valley’s sophomore album ‘Lost in Translation.‘ Each time I have seen this Canadien pop band, it has been on giant stages, even festival stages, and it is electric. This album release party was in a small room. It felt exclusive and special to be a part of. That was an intentional move by the band to help feel more connected to the audience as all celebrated their new album.
Another element that added to the experience was that a good deal of the Valley catalog of music was written in New York City. You hear mention of that in their lyrics, and it added another layer of connection to an already connected party of people.
Valley played a bulk of their new music from Lost in Translation, and it was hard not to be impressed to witness fans singing along to songs that were just released and already knowing the words. The Singles like ‘Break For You’ and ‘Throwback Tears’ were already memorized by fans. Have A Good Summer (Without Me) has clearly already been an anthem for some. ‘Good, but not together’ slowed down the crowd with a stunning vocal performance.
Valley has an incredible live sound, and each song of theirs is almost elevated live. They have an incredible stage presence together. A favorite moment was seeing their amazing drummer Karah James also take the mic and sing with Rob in their 2022 single ‘Champagne.’ It was also crazy to see how many hits Valley has, and they played the favorites from ‘There’s Still a Light In The House,’ to ‘Oh Shit… are we in love?’ and so much more. The crowd was alive all night, bouncing to everything that Valley did, and their choice to play in the tiny venue of Mercury Lounge to celebrate another impressive album helped make it a night none in attendance will soon forget.
