Alternative/Rock

Citizen Delivers the Goods at Warsaw in New York City with Narrow Head & Modern Color [Photos]

Toledo alternative rockers Citizen delivered on all fronts at an energetic sold-out show at Brooklyn, NY’s Warsaw, with support from Narrow Head & Modern Color.

Published

5 months ago

11/27/2023

Ann Storlie

Article Views: 696

Toledo rockers Citizen recently played an energetic sold-out show at Brooklyn, NY’s Warsaw music venue. Currently touring in support of their fifth album, Calling the Dogs, the quintet proved they still have what it takes.

Modern Color, a four-piece pop-punk band from Los Angeles, opened the show. They got the crowd moving with “Jacaranda,” “Empty Rooms,” and “On & Off” from their 2020 album From the Leaves of Your Garden. The band, led by guitarist and singer Fleming Valenzuela, peppered in “Opiate,” “Big Question,” “Pale,” and their latest track, “Fortress.”

Alternative metal band Narrow Head continued to warm up the crowd with “Sunday,” “The Real,” and “Moments of Clarity” from their 2023 self-titled release. The quartet from Houston played favourites “Cool in Motion” and “Paranoid Hands” from 2020’s Satisfaction mixed in with new tracks “Caroline,” “Gearhead,” and “Fine Day.”

Citizen’s sound is always evolving, from pop-punk to post-hardcore into shoegaze. But rock n’ roll has always been at their core. The band (originally a trio of vocalist Mat Kerekes and brothers Nick and Eric Hamm (lead guitar and bass respectively) recently added touring musicians Mason Mercer (rhythm guitar) and Ben Russin (drums) to their permanent lineup.

The quintet opened with “Hyper Trophy” and “If You’re Lonely” from Calling the Dogs. They added in “Jet” from 2017’s As You Please and “Blue Sunday” from Life in Your Glass World. Citizen had a constant circle pit, and Mat routinely told the crowd to keep it moving. The band’s energy never ceased as they ran through fan favourites a plenty. They sprinkled in “The Summer,” “Your Head Got Misplaced,” and “How Does It Feel?” from their debut album Youth,which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary.

The rest of the band’s hour-long set threw in more tracks from Youth. They ran through “The Night I Drove Alone” and “Sleep” as well as more recent tracks from Calling the Dogs with “Can’t Take It Slow,” “Dogs,” and “When I Let You Down.” They closed with “Death Dance Approximately” and an encore of “I Want to Kill You.”