Sunday, June 16, Young the Giant, touring with Fitz and the Tantrums, and COIN followed through with a re-located Father's Day concert in Indianapolis. The concert was originally scheduled at the Farm Bureau Lawn at the White River downtown Indianapolis, nestled between the Indianapolis Zoo and the MLB Pirates farm team, the Indianapolis Indians. Due to the threat of weather, the concert was moved north of Indianapolis to Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center, Indiana's premiere music venue. With the protection of a covered pavilion, COIN took the stage with a quick set to warm up the crowd. Chase Lawrence on lead vocals and synthesizer connected with the crowd, as well as his hair. With long, curly bangs, he frequently played with his bangs, perhaps a sign of an intimate anxiety, like how someone might be when face to face with someone they are attracted to, but with nervous energy. His connection to and appreciation of the audience was apparent when he thanked everyone there for braving the incoming weather pattern and driving to the updated venue location. I will look forward to seeing and hearing what COIN will do next. Next, Fitz and the Tantrums came on stage with an ambitious and overworked fog machine and lights. With dusk not yet arrived and still fairly light out, the lights and smoke made it seem later than it was. By this time, the weather wasn't on my mind and clearly the crowd was into the music. With Michael Fitzpatrick and Noell Scaggs walking their toes right to the front of the stage standing tall, arms in the air playing off each other vocally, it felt like they were the headlining band. Their eclectic talents and upbeat music style, unique and inspired by Soul and Funk music is the type that urges you to stand up, clap your hands and get your heels off the ground. Sexy Noell Scaggs trotted confidently back and forth on stage, but I truly thought the band overall seemed to have left some gas in the tank, or at least I felt Fitz was pacing himself.
I applaud Fitz and the Tantrums for blazing their own path, with modest use of the guitar, instead preferring to utilize Jeremy Ruzumna, bursting on the saxophone and the keyboard. I would look forward to seeing Fitz and the Tantrums again and under more ideal circumstances and hope they keep their music new and upbeat. After Fitz and the Tantrums' set, there was a weather delay. As predicted, a storm front came through and made the decision to move venues, prove to be a wise one. Perhaps aided by the appreciation given by COIN a couple hours earlier, the fans' patience was rewarded when Young the Giant walked confidently on stage and immediately got started, knowing the fans had faced a heavy rain and some minor logistical inconveniences on this Sunday night. Sameer Gadhia wore something opposite of the millennial-trending tight-pants. Donning very loose fitting, short pants that behaved more like a dress and shoes that looked like something like what you imagine early settlers wore—black patent leather with a large buckle and heel. Putting that aside, Sameer and the band rocked out for the fans and played later than scheduled to give the fans what they had braved the weather for. With their own unique styles, all three bands brought a touch of nostalgia from previous decades, one way or another and drew out dedicated fans on a pseudo-holiday with a poor weather forecast—Truly a testament to the mutual respect the fans have with the artists and the artists with their audience.