Portland band Fruition took the stage at The Back Room @ Colectivo with the Mighty Pines on Friday, Jan. 24, and the two groups kept the audience on their feet and dancing the whole night.
The night began with people of all ages flooding into The Back Room, eager for a night full of fun, friends and music. The sense of community in the room was apparent before the concert had even begun.
The Mighty Pines opened, playing a lively set that readied the crowd for a night full of dancing, foot-stomping and cheering. “Snow Falls Down” seemed to be an audience favorite. The harmonies and driving instrumental background kept everyone on their feet. They also covered the familiar folk tune, “I Saw the Light,” and finished their set with a rousing instrumental finish.
Fruition took the stage without introduction, filling the room with effortless harmonies and beautiful instrumentalization. Just as Kellen Asebroek (vocals, keys, acoustic guitar) promised in his interview with the UWM Post, the set was filled with pieces of different music styles for everyone’s enjoyment.
They played everything from slow ballads and jazz to rock ‘n’ roll that inspired many to dance and others to whoop and cheer.
The refreshing song, “Dawn,” off of their newest album, “Broken at the Break of Day” was clearly a crowd-favorite, as nearly everyone was clapping along. Another upbeat song that engaged the crowd was “Fire,” which was full of lively instrumentalization that rocked the house.
Jay Cob Anderson (electric guitar, vocals) promised the crowd that they were going to “play until they can’t anymore,” and that is exactly what Fruition did.
The band finished the night, after a full set and an encore, with a completely acoustic version of their song “At the End of the Day.” They asked the audience to be as quiet as possible, so their vocals could be heard throughout the entire Back Room. Their raw voices with nothing but a single guitar playing created a beautiful moment that the crowd seemed to be in complete awe of.
Fruition brought Milwaukee a night full of rock, fun and musicianship. The sense of community that filled the room before the concert had multiplied by the end of the night, with everyone in the room connected through the great music Fruition and The Mighty Pines delighted us with.
All photos by Brianna Schubert