Material: Despite having a wide variety of instruments in the mix, Von Grey is a primarily vocal-driven troupe made special by the fact that they are all sisters hailing from Georgia. Annika stands out as the fashionista, rocking vintage soccer socks with a purple velour unitard reminiscent of Madonna’s “Hung Up” look. As far as the music goes, the material is a consistent, commercial and contemporary style similar to electro pop artists like Lorde. The music has an ancient ritualistic feel, especially on “Forever Bound” with lyrics like, “Angel/Goddess of the moonlight/Ruptured by the dark nights.” “Bad Bitch” has a Middle Eastern motif from Kathryn on mandolin and some powerhouse vocals from Fiona.
Musicianship: The double keyboards are hot in the mix at points and tend to overwhelm Kathryn’s cello, but the sounds find more balance as the set progresses. Kathryn and Petra layer interesting sonic textures on “You’re the Best.” Annika impresses on “Hunter,” where she juggles her keyboard and violin adeptly. There is a beautiful interplay between Kathryn’s cello and Annika’s violin solos here. Drummer Tak Emura incorporates great tempo variations on “Say My Name” and “Drove All Night,” a rockin’ road trip song where his beats are complemented by Kathryn’s cello.
Performance: Annika and Fiona traded off on lead vocals throughout the set and only experienced minor feedback and delay issues. They both danced on stage, approaching a state of possession, but it would have been cool to see something more synchronized. While Fiona did work the stage, her guitar parts could and should be expanded upon. Her instrument has incredible tone but only adds a little flavor and leaves you wanting to hear more from her. It was apparent by the time the group reached their encore that she can really shred.
Summary: The band is definitely tight and professional. The hip-hop drops, however, though they work for some songs, are overused. Using them more sparingly would lend them more impact. In their place, perhaps longer guitar solos and additional drum solos would increase interest, making an already super show a phenomenal one.
The Players: Fiona von Grey, vocals, guitar; Annika von Grey, vocals, keyboard, violin; Tak Emura, drummer; Petra von Grey, keyboard, vocals; Kathryn von Grey, cello, mandolin.
Photo By Lance Skundrich
Venue: The Mint
City: Los Angeles, CA
Contact: [email protected]
Web: vongreymusic.com
