It’s rare to see a double act that appeals equally to the same audience. At Boston’s Roadrunner, Cannons and Bob Moses — co-headliners on the “Afterglow” tour — managed to do just that.
Preceded by Oxis, an LA-based artist (and fish enthusiast!) who previously opened for Magdalena Bay, the crowd warmed up for Cannons to come on promptly at 8:15. The American indie/alt group dove straight into their set with “Loving You,” a track that takes inspiration from Kiss’ “I Was Made for Lovin’ You.” Lead singer Michelle Joy delivered dreamy vocals, backed by two guitarists and a drummer — not quite Cannons’ usual trio, with Paul Davis sitting this one out.
Cannon’s catalog is thematically nocturnal (“Starlight,” “These Nights,” “Up All Night” and “Bad Dream” all apply) and, speaking from experience, their music is best enjoyed in and around the midnight hour. The stage decor — a simple street lamp and dangling crescent moon — completed this moody, after-dark aesthetic.
The group wrapped their 16-song set with “Fire for You,” their Platinum hit that appeared in episodes of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” and “Never Have I Ever.” After a quick break, Bob Moses took to the stage, with unnoticeable audience turnover between acts.
While the name might suggest a solo artist, Bob Moses is a duo: Tom Howie and Jimmy Vallance, both from Vancouver, Canada. Together, they make electronic club cuts that flow seamlessly from one to the next; they even earned a Grammy nomination for “Tearing Me Up” — the fifth track from Monday night’s performance (and one they previously played on “The Ellen Show”).
By then, the crowded had properly loosened up, dancing and spinning to Bob Moses’ beats as they blew through original songs and covers (Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer”) alike. After they ultimately wrapped up the evening, the audience poured out of Roadrunner into unseasonably warm April weather, with three+ hours of transcendent live music to look back on.
Grab your tickets to the “Afterglow” tour here.
