New York-based electropop duo Overcoats returned to Los Angeles on Friday night with a headline set at the Troubadour — the same spot they opened for Maggie Rogers back in March and made many new fans at the super sold-out show.
Overcoats delivered a refreshing spin on folk. Under the neon glow of the Troubadour’s signature sign, the Brooklyn-based duo brought their 2017 debut album Young to life via a dance party. Clad in sparkly gold jumpsuits and red pleather boots, Hana Elion and JJ Mitchell moved and grooved in a manner as emotionally-charged and complementary to one another as their tunes.
Musically, Overcoats ran the gamut from folksy harmonies, minimalist electronics, country, pop, bluegrass and beyond, and did so in an assured manner. Between the harmonies, the dances and especially the way their songs draw from their shared experiences while preserving their own unique perspectives and voices, Overcoats redefined what it means to have #FriendshipGoals.
Overcoats closed out their 2017 in style and it was certainly a year the duo will remember. Expect them to hit the festival circuit hard in 2018 — and we hope that means a few stops on the American circuit.
Sometimes all it takes to captivate the crowd is a guitar, a voice and some sharp songwriting. Case in point: Caroline Smith dazzled the early birds at the Troubadour with an acoustic set consisting of multiple new, unplayed songs. Despite the unfamiliarity, the new tracks elicited squeals of delight and adoration, as did fare such as 2016’s neo-soul-tinged “Trying Not to Love You” and a closing cover of Martha Wainwright’s “B.M.F.A.”
Words and photos by Frank Mojica
