smallpools and grayscale at 9:30 club
BY ANNA PORCELLAThis Thursday, alt-pop trio Smallpools and alt-rock band Grayscale brought their co-headline “The Night Shift Tour” to 9:30 Club in Washington, DC for an energetic night. Along with them on this tour are pop rock singer The Romance and indie band Moody Joody.
Up first for the coheadliner is Grayscale, a five-piece Philadelphia based band, who brings an edge to the tour lineup. Their pop punk roots prompted a mosh pit and crowd surfing throughout their set, with setlist staples like “In Violet” and “Fever Dream” punching up the energy in the room. The band closes with “Not Afraid to Die,” their latest single since their 2021 album “Umbra.” The single is a soul-bearing track with a soaring chorus, ushering the crowd into Grayscale’s newest and most unapologetic era.
The coheadline follows the release of “Ghost Town Road (east),” the latest EP from Smallpools and part one of a full-length album to be released later this year. Filled with nostalgia-tinged synth, the EP shows a fresh side of Smallpools while remaining true to their sound. Opening with “Nightshift,” lead single off the new EP and tour namesake, the band sets the tone for their set with their dreamy style of alt pop.
Over close to ten years as a band, Smallpools have cultivated a fun and close-knit environment with their listeners, evident in the way the band interacts with the crowd. While greeting the crowd, one fan even tells the band it is their twenty-first time seeing them. These interactions with the crowd continue throughout the night in a heartwarming and fun-filled set. Frontman Sean Scalon entrusts the front row with assisting him on a tightrope-style walk across the top of the barricade, later joining the pit for “Lovetap!” For “Million Bucks,” he tasks a fan to toss his tambourine to him from the pit in time for the second chorus. During “Killer Whales,” a large killer whale float is launched into the audience, and it dips through the crowd throughout the song as though it’s really swimming. Closing with their debut hit “Dreaming,” Smallpools performs both new acts and old traditions, providing a unique set whether it’s your first or twenty-first show.
