CHICAGO | The floors of Lincoln Hall were bouncing, the music was roaring, and socks were knocked off; that is the best way to describe the atmosphere of a show from The Rare Occasions. The Los Angeles-based trio played near DePaul’s Lincoln Park campus on Sunday, September 29 alongside opener Bel on their Through Moonshot Eyes tour, named after their third full length LP released earlier this month. Members Brain McLaughlin, Jeremy Cohen, and Luke Imbasch have been creating feel-good indie rock for a decade that is surely worth dancing to.
The show opened with “Mr. Bubbles” and “Black Balloons” featured off the new album, and fans were not shy to immediately start singing and dancing with the band. Lincoln Hall’s low capacity made it easy to see every individual in the crowd and discern their obvious enjoyment. In between songs, the band cracked jokes, poking fun at Chicago’s two baseball teams and sharing what kind of socks each band member was wearing. They also took time to reflect on when they were a “baby band” by doing some songs in the style of an open mic night.
Encouraged by the audience’s cheers at the end of the show, McLaughlin quickly returned to the stage to sing an encore. Cohen and Imbusch joined for one last song, “Notion”, their most streamed song thanks to TikTok. The set ended with a bang as everyone chanted the lyrics and jumped around with each other.
The Rare Occasions will continue their North American tour throughout October, and their remaining dates can be found on their website. If a dynamic and lively concert is on your radar, The Rare Occasions are sure to deliver an energetic experience like no other. Additionally, I had the opportunity to interview the trio the day after their set at Lincoln Hall, click here to listen or check it out below!