There are two kinds of Future Islands fans: the “knew about them before Letterman” and the “became a fan after Letterman.” At this point it doesn’t matter which side you associate with, as long as you’re listening to them. While part of their success stems from the theatrical gyrations and deep, mesmerizing roars that front man Samuel Herring produces oh-so-very well; there is much more than meets the eye. So much so, they began their two night sold-out stint at Union Transfer Saturday night.
Future Islands have essentially lived in anonymity during their past three albums, however, they’ve finally captured mainstream attention with their powerful live performances and the release of their fourth album, Singles.
Throughout the set, Herring took breaks from the constant jumping, high-kicks, crawling, and chest thumping to reach out and grab the hands of his adoring fans (myself included). It was hard to keep your eyes off Herring, but the rest of the band, hidden dimly towards the back of the stage, was equally impressive.
In between a few songs, Herring took time to describe the emotions behind the songs themselves, sometimes even appearing to shed a tear, giving such lessons as to “stop bottling shit up.” It began to feel as if the night was one big therapy session; however, it quickly turned back to dancing that left everyone dripping in sweat. Before we knew it, two hours had passed, with an impressive set list and four-song encore. It then became evident why Future Islands’ shows have been selling out in minutes; it’s a show you simply CANNOT miss.
