Cults, a two-piece duo made up of film school dropouts Madeline Follin and Brian Oblivion, definitely have a cult following, as made obvious by Wednesday’s concert at High Noon Saloon. The energetically retro duo has recently released a new album titled Offering, one tinged with ‘80s new-wave influence and upbeat dream-pop beats. This trance-like atmosphere accompanied by Follin’s piercing voice made for a show to dance to — as any performance by a group with such a dedicated fandom would be.
The show began with opener Cullen Omori, who had a Whitney-esque vibe to his atmospheric songs. As one of the founders of the band Smith Westerns, he has a rock influence which is now accompanied by the indie-pop genre that he shares with Cults.
Following Omori was a former long-time member of Cults, Gabriel Rodriguez. He wrote his debut album while on the road with the band, and his recent sophomore album, So Many Hoops, So Little Time, was just released in February. His heavy dream-pop influence shrouded the venue in a fanciful mist — as dream-pop seems to always do. One of his more notable songs, “I Got Your Message,” which he opened his set with, mixes his strong and rustic vocals with dreamy background music, showing his Cults influence but at the same time making a departure from the music of the headlining act.
As Cults took the stage, the energy in the venue was electric; the New York-based band who, after being signed to Lily Allen’s In the Name Of label and releasing their second album Static, gained a cult following and a whirlwind of publicity. The set began with a track off of their new album Offering titled “I Took Your Picture,” with deep bass lines and melancholy vocals that created a dreamy and familiar atmosphere which describes Cults. Their new album was heavily represented in the set, but they also played favorites such as “Go Outside,” “You Know What I Mean” and “Abducted,” all led along by Follin’s sweet, dreamy voice.
Cults demanded attention through their musical hybrid of dream pop and ‘80s new wave influence, creating an ethereal atmosphere that stayed loyal to their cult following, one that followed them from New York to their tour across the country.
