REVIEW: Chanel Beads @ Sinclair 9/13

Photo Credit: Maggie Streckert

Review by Brianna Benitez

Marking their second stop on their North American Fall tour, Chanel Beads made their rounds in Cambridge, M.A., on the evening of Sept. 13. Initiated by Shane Lavers, the musical project has slowly grown to include new faces, Maya McGrory and Zachary Paul, while Lavers remains the mastermind behind it all, bringing an electronic taste unlike any other musician. Drums, violins, electronic flutes, guitar, and angry voices define his music, blending into a unique sound that filled Harvard Square’s Sinclair Sunday night.

Ivy Knight, a New York City-based musician, kicked off the night, bringing the venue into a trance of tranquility. As artificial fog flooded the stage, her performance had a calming yet sweet ambience. Accompanied by talented cellist Angie Pei, Knight performed tracks from her 2026 record, “Iron Mountain,” along with other singles released in recent years. Her stripped-down performance featuring acoustic guitar and cello set the tone for an audience to appreciate a bare-bones sound — requiring nothing more, nothing less.

To keep people on their toes, the second openers took over the stage with a complete electronic approach. The Swedish duo Horse Vision may be a newer name to some, but they know exactly how to capture a crowd and lead them into a land of carefully curated noise. Unafraid of rapid shifts in light, Horse Vision utilized the venue to its utmost potential, shifting from bluish rays of light to red, green, and yellow hues to create a surreal feel. Their most recent project, “Another Life,” released last year, and select singles from their discography were a drastic change from Knight’s tone. Despite the contrast, both openers intentionally orchestrated their use of instruments and perfectly aligned with the expectations of Chanel Beads’ fans.

The time everyone had been waiting for came soon after as Lavers and his collaborators took the stage. Chanel Beads has released two records by the same name, “Your Day Will Come.” However, the two albums are distinguishable through track names, album covers, and a two-year release difference. Even with a sound similar to the first version, this year’s record audibly shifted the weight of influence from Laver’s fellow collaborators, namely McGrory’s, who was also around for the first version of “Your Day Will Come,” given that she is Laver’s partner and frequent collaborator.

Lavers owned the stage as he dove into their discography, all the while hitting his chest and legs with a balled-up fist every couple of seconds. Leading into the set, an angry spoken rant played over electronic keys for a couple of minutes to excite and enrage the audience. Pacing around swiftly, Lavers darted looks out into the audience and at McGrory. McGrory stood steady with the guitar and maintained her poise throughout the night, but would smile after each song or whenever Lavers caught her attention by getting close to her.

A notable feature of the stage set-up was their use of light and space. Traditionally, one would expect the spotlight to hit all performers evenly, but Chanel Beads isn’t like most performers. Lavers stood front and center next to McGrory and Paul while their drummer sat in the back fully lit, leaving the front without any major spotlight. This artistic choice made perfect sense given that the drums are a foundational aspect of Laver’s project. With blown-out, spotlit drums throughout the entire performance and a song named “Drums Only” on the recent “Your Day Will Come,” this era of Chanel Beads was clearly paying homage to the drums.

What really set this concert apart was the crowd’s infectious reaction to every song — everyone jumped, danced, and sang along in the pit for the entirety of the show. In my experience, only one other artist has come close to the ultimate euphoric experience Chanel Beads excels at, and that is Mk.gee at Fenway’s House of Blues in 2024. Both concerts used light and blown-out instruments in a similar fashion, and their comparable sounds throw them into the same contemporary experimental musician box. But incomparable, Chanel Beads’ show was intimately special. Lavers and his trio played with their hearts on their sleeves, marking this second night of their tour as a significant night for all.