Beach House Kept It Dreamy at Webster Hall [Photos]

Photos by Matthew Solarski

Change is good — that is, unless you’re Beach House, and you more or less arrived at the Platonic ideal of your sound some time ago. For them, change is gravy, welcome but by no means necessary. Across six startlingly consistent albums now, the beloved Baltimore two-piece hasn’t strayed from their winning formula of dreamy keyboards, dreamier guitar parts and melodies that tug incessantly at the heart-strings, all topped with Victoria Legrand’s rich vocals and distinct delivery.

For Tuesday’s sold-out performance at Webster Hall, their second of three at the venue this tour, the duo fleshed out to a four-piece (including Fleet Foxes’ Skyler Skjelset) and brought an appropriately DIY-looking tripartite fabric backdrop with lights shining through and subtle, textural visuals projected on the front. Lest we accuse them of being too mannered, Legrand found a moment to get quirky and invite the crowd to do the wave (amused, we obliged). It was all part of a perfect package that few bands working today can serve up so reliably. In a world of uncertainly, Beach House are a sure thing.

Local favorites Air Waves opened with a short but sweet set of their own guitar-driven, dreamy indie rock, held together nicely by frontwoman Nicole Schneit’s yearning vocals.

Beach House

Air Waves