Future Islands at Tower Labs
On Wednesday, January 24, 2024, Baltimore, MD’s Future Islands performed their forthcoming album, People Who Aren't There Anymore, in its entirety during an intimate show at Tower Labs in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
What is Tower Labs? Great question! Their website calls it “a creative hub for musicians, artists, and entertainers.” I arrived to this creative hub a couple hours before the Future Islands performance was scheduled to begin and stood in line in a small parking lot of a brick loft building surrounded by newer condos by the Williamsburg waterfront. While waiting with friends, I realized that I hadn’t seen a show in this area in a very long time and thought about Death By Audio, which used to be nearby, naturally. I saw Future Islands open for Double Dagger at Death By Audio back in May 2010 but hadn’t photographed them and now regret it. I also saw them open for Dan Deacon in Baltimore at Copycat Annex but also didn’t take pictures of them then either. Then Death by Audio closed in 2014 and even though I attended Future Islands’ final show at that space, I didn’t shoot that performance as well (really kicking myself for leaving my camera at home that night), so I made sure to bring it to Tower Labs to make up for my mistakes in the past.
I didn’t get a creative hub vibe when I finally entered the space after 7:30PM. But maybe it felt like one earlier in the day when I was working at home and the band was scheduled to sign copies of PWATA and the new album was played for attendees. When I walked into the room, I immediately felt like I seeing a house show at someone’s loft and it made me nostalgic for when I used to do that much more often than I do now. Plus, seeing the red neon Tower Records sign on the back wall behind the stage reminded me of how often I used to shop at that record store when in my teens and 20s to buy new albums right at midnight (plus also buy concert tickets without a fee when they went on sale) and would see acts like PJ Harvey, Franz Ferdinand, and The Fall perform at the Virgin Records Times Square and Union Square locations when their newest albums were released.
To attend this special performance, tickets were distributed for free via the Dice app and I requested one after Ellen told me (thanks again, Ellen!) but the ticket did not guarantee admission (hence the whole showing up hours early and standing in the parking lot thing). Despite being a little cold, and getting rained on, once I was inside and the band began, all was forgiven. I was immediately reminded that seeing Future Islands is such a joyful experience. The band plays, and then Sam dances and it feels like he’s looking and singing directly at you and you cannot help but smile. The Tower Labs crowd heard the first live performance of the new album two days before it is available to everyone else. We could also buy the album at Tower Labs too. The band ceased playing after the final song of the record, “The Garden Wheel,” with the audience clapping and cheering for an encore. But there wasn’t one. I immediately understood that we didn’t get an encore since they’ll be back on a proper tour soon. We’ll get more Future Islands next time.
Future Islands’ People Who Aren't There Anymore is available everywhere tomorrow (Friday, January 26, 2024) on 4AD Records.