Surrounded by an arsenal of instruments, The Spring Standards treated Off Broadway to an exciting evening, fresh off their yellow/gold EP release.

It’s been nearly two years since I last saw Union Tree Review and it definitely feels like the band has grown a ton since then, having notched a few tours and high profile opening slots (most recently for Portugal the Man) since then. The crew has also kept busy with two performances on Show Me Shows worth checking out, showcasing “Skeletons” in the back of a van and “Excavate” in an empty 2720 Cherokee.

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The NYC folk-rockers were absolutely charming, generating smiles across the crowd with their launch into “Here We Go.” The sparser-than-usual venue was transformed into a private party with the band cracking jokes constantly between songs, keeping the atmosphere light even through some of their more sober ballads. And if things weren’t intimate enough, the band joined the crowd on the floor for an acoustic song towards the end of the set.

Spring Standards, you win the runner-up prize to my “funniest band/musician” award. (Sorry, William Fitzsimmons still remains the incumbent champion). And your songs are oh so gosh darn catchy. Well done.

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