The Heavy / Photo by Amber Gregory
"So how you like me now?!"
Hey, you! Yes, you. Lead vocalist Kelvin Swaby, lead vocalist for UK-based neo-soul/R&B band The Heavy, asked you a question!
It was Friday night, the Friday of Pride weekend. A sweaty, slamming 40-minute set at San Francisco's Warfield Theater was coming to a close, and it was clear the entire performance had been building up to this moment. Fortunately, the responsive and energetic crowd was more than happy to engage, screaming their approval to this talented and lucky group of guys opening for analog soul queen Sharon Jones and all her Dap-Kings.
In a rare move for The Warfield, Friday night's show featured no photo pit or barrier in front of the stage, allowing fans as well as bands (and photographers—of which there seemed to be shockingly few) the opportunity to get more up close and personal than usual. This was great for a band like The Heavy; Swaby repeatedly criss-crossed the stage during songs, frequently dangling himself over the edge of the stage and interacting with the audience.
To those already familiar with the band's music (the first few rows at least seemed to be composed of already-established fans), the band played many familiar tunes, including a gorgeous, particularly inspired rendition of "Sixteen."
"How You Like Me Now" was featured in a Kia car commercial during the 2010 Super Bowl, which is why it may have sounded vaguely familiar to those otherwise unfamilar with the band. But make no mistake—they are no flash in the pan, nor are they sellouts; they are the real deal, and Swaby & co.'s down to earth attitudes, coupled with their stop-you-in-your-tracks musical prowess (guitar solos that sucked all the air out of the room, for example!) should take them as far as they want to go.
"How you like me now, San Francisco!?"
If Friday night was any indication, San Francisco likes you a lot. Come back soon!
To view more photos from The Heavy's show at The Warfield, please click the gallery below!
And yes, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings were as phenomenal as advertised, and if you want to view photos from that show, you will find them soon on Your Examiner's blog, located at ambergregory.net.
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