REVIEW: THE 502s @ HOUSE OF BLUES 4/25
By Hannah Martin
This past Thursday night, House of Blues hosted The 502s on their “Great American Road Trip Tour.”
The venue was absurdly packed, with concertgoers standing on ramps and stairs even during the opening performance by Daniel Nunnalee. Nunnelee warmed up the crowd with his indie folk songs, ending with their biggest hit, “Oak Trees.” The bubbly crowd happily sang the lyrics alongside Nunnelee.
As the Floridian group bounded onto stage in Hawaiian and beach shirts, it was clear that the show would be an energizing set. Self-proclaimed as “The Happiest Band on Earth,” the group is currently in the midst of a lengthy North American tour.. Ed Isola, 502’s frontman, excitedly shared that this stop was their biggest show yet.
The colorful lights shining across the stage and the band’s exuberance made the show an immersive experience. The show had a strong and efficient start, with Isola quickly announcing titles while the band transitioned directly into songs. The 502s incorporate many musical instruments in their live performance. Joe Capati had multiple saxophone solos that elicited cheers from the audience, but there were also banjos, horns, and the typical bass, guitar, and percussion ensemble.
Isola had the crowd sing a simple melody to warm them up for their hit “Magdalene”. The communal singing continued throughout the show, as everyone was tasked to replicate the notes from Capati’s saxophone.
The 502s played many of their hits, as well as other songs that transitioned beautifully to a live setting. “Skinny Dipping & Mimosas” was definitely a fan favorite, likely due to the “Got drunk in Boston” line at the very beginning of the song. “Olivia” got attendees to put their hands up and spin around, just as the song instructs them to do. “Just a Little While” made everyone in attendance jump up and down for its entirety. “Hey, Honey,” which features Graci Phillips’ velvety vocals that pair exquisitely with Isola’s raspier twang, added dimension to the set.
Although the set was only about an hour long, The 502s successfully created an atmosphere full of shared joy and excitement. Isola stressed the foundational happiness to be experienced at their show as he asked the crowd “Who had a good week?” followed by “Who had a bad week?”After receiving a considerably louder response to the latter, he laughed to himself and replied with some assurance, before fittingly playing “Something’s Gonna Go Our Way.”
After ending their set with “Feels Good To Be Me,” a song that undoubtedly captures the attitude of the band, Sean Froehlich closed out with an impressive drum solo that consisted of him throwing his drumsticks and moving around the instrument without missing a beat.
The 502s’ Boston show was a delightful whirlwind of warmth, fun, and lightheartedness. In summary, the band delightfully touched the city of Boston with a much-needed dose of Florida sunshine.