Boys Go To Jupiter Ruled the Night at Off Broadway St. Louis
— by Carrie Zukoski
If you’re looking for a good time, look no further than a night out at a Boys Go To Jupiter concert.
This New York, Brooklyn-based trio (with a few more touring members in tow) still has a few more nights left on their The Now You’re a Circle Tour. They finally landed in St. Louis, something vocalist Jess Kantorowitz said they’d been trying to do for a while now, on Monday, April 6, at Off Broadway. Yes, on a Monday. While Mondays are tough nights to go out, a core, devoted crowd of about 200 showed up. A crew of four even drove down from Des Moines, Iowa, to catch the engaging concert to celebrate their friend’s birthday and to see her favorite band.
Opening the night was St. Louis’ own Four Degrees Colder. Formed in 2020, the duo, made up of Jamie Saylor on vocals and bass, and Kendal Abeln on drums, gave a delightful 45-minute performance. Clad in monogrammed crash test dummy jumpsuits, these two worked the crowd, keeping the room captivated with high energy and quirky pop rock. Saylor continuously traversed not only the stage throughout their 12-song set but also took to the floor, prevailing upon fans to help out. They included their yet-to-be-released song, the punchy “Crash Out,” which will be available on their upcoming album that’s due out in July.
Train’s “Drops of Jupiter” piped in through the house speakers shortly after 9 p.m., an apt intro Boys Go To Jupiter used to stroll onto stage amid. The room immediately exploded in joy and anticipation. And the crowd got more than what they paid for. The next hour-plus concert was intimate, boisterous, jubilant, and, at times, a little silly. Formed sometime around 2022, the group has gelled and has an easy, laid-back, approachable feel, which makes them all the more appealing. Not afraid to get in a fan’s face, Kantorowitz, who was dressed a bit like a modern-day Roman goddess, worked the mostly 20-something crowd and the rest of the band with her antics and allure. They opened with the lilting, soft “wish u were here” to draw fans in before exploding into the zany, carefree “Tiltawhirl.” The additional tour musicians’ horns, drums, and bass added range and a fuller, more vibrant dynamic to the night. Midway through, they cajoled a fan to come onstage to help with the lyrics to the jaunty “Sunshine (never trust anyone named jeanette),” who they crowned and handed a decree to for their help. The night also included their breakout single, the disco-esque, bouncy, large, “Virginia.”
This mighty show in the compact Off Broadway St. Louis will live in the hearts of fans for a long time to come. And that’s what it’s all about.
If you need some optimistic, carefree music to help through tumultuous days, or even the good days, do yourself a favor and check out Boys Go To Jupiter.
Lots of photos from the night can be found here: https://bit.ly/JupiterBoys26cz
