Nicotine Dolls at the Cannery
Quiet conversations, dim, moody lighting, and the soft clanking of bar drinks being made all set the tone before the young, soulful opener, Lost Boy Crow, took the stage. His calming presence, sincere and genuine engagement with the crowd, and strong, seemingly effortless songs captivated the audience. So much so, no one had even noticed the room had quietly reached peak numbers in attendees. I have never seen such authentic, calm, pure talent from an opener who captivated his audience so quickly and effortlessly. It was one of those moments where you realize you are witnessing the magic of someone who is doing exactly what they were born to do.
After serenading us with his soothing notes, playful banter, and being called “daddy” more times than he might want to remember from an excited fan (haha), he gracefully ended his set, and the changeover began.
The crowd disbanded for a bit to also prepare for the next few hours of musical heaven before filing back in shoulder to shoulder. Smiles all around, laughter, selfies, and friendly interactions could be seen from corner to corner. The energy in the room was so light, comfortable, and warm.
After a brief set change, alternative indie rock band Nicotine Dolls took the stage. Cheers, screams, and smiles filled the room as the guitars struck their first chords and the drums set the beat for the night. Witnessing them playing in this love-filled room was such a beautiful moment to be a part of.
Halfway through the set, vocalist Sam Cieri slowed it down a notch and prepped the room for his next song with a deeply emotional and personal story about losing his best friend, his grandmother. The touching story demanded absolute silence, in honor of her memory and out of respect to him, cracking his heart wide open for all of us. After uniting us all with his love for her, he began with “30 Something”. A song we can all relate to in regards to balancing the years passing us by and just trying to figure this thing out, called “Life”.
This show felt personal, in tune, tangible, relatable, and comfortable. The fun and light banter between the crowd continued with a hilarious take on the industry standard of an “encore”. I LOVE it when a band calls “bullshit” on a routine procedure that we all know the makings of. After the “encore”, perfectly coached by Sam, he playfully joined the middle of the crowd, stood on a chair and led everyone in a group song (I won’t disclose which one; you will just have to go see for yourselves)
Ending on a high, the crowd looked happy and completely content with an expertly executed performance from their favorite band. The pure, raw talent, mixed with powerful, emotionally charged, and relatable songs, made this night unforgettable. This is one band you do not want to sleep on, and I personally cannot wait to catch them again soon.
