Nestled in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn lives Brooklyn Steel. The 1,800 capacity industrial venue was hosting Canadian indie rock band Valley, along with Mickey Darling and Charlie Adams, on their Water The Flowers, Pray For A Garden Tour. The evening on October 2nd was crisp and cool and the sun had set well before doors opened. A line of fans wrapped down Frost Street and around the corner, you could practically see the excitement buzzing from the most dedicated fans.
Inside the venue, fans gathered at the center of the front barricade and radiated outwards like a blooming flower. Very few fans took to the back or upper section of the venue, setting up for an intimate performance with opener Charli Adams. The Nashville based singer graced the stage with nothing but an acoustic and an electric guitar. Placed around her were two lamps and a stool that featured a rose quartz crystal angel and an old family photo in a frame — talk about ambience! Adams’ performance was soft and mellow and provided a nice start to the evening, while fans continued pouring into the venue.
San Antonio, Texas duo Mickey Darling performed next and blew the roof directly off the venue. Stating that this tour was their first time attempting “the full band thing”, you would have had zero clue. The on stage chemistry was off the charts and the energy of all four band members was infectious throughout their entire performance. The band played a lengthy 45 minute setlist that featured many songs from their recently released album Let’s Dance Until We Get Scared, including “ripping my tshirt” and “Broken People Breaking Hearts”, as well as the crowd favorite “Reverse Cowgirl”.
Finally, it was time for the main act. Hailing from Toronto, Ontario, Canada the band is made up of lead vocalist and guitarist Rob Laska, bassist Alex Dimauro, and drummer Karah James. Valley opened their set with “Water The Flowers, Pray For A Garden” and the energy was infectious. Standing in the photo pit, it was a feat to hear Laska singing above the crowd! The bands 19 song setlist included hits that spanned their discography including “When You Know Someone”, “sucks to see you doing better” and concluding with their hit “Bop Ba”.
From seeing Valley as the opening act many years ago to seeing them headline Brooklyn Steel, it’s always a treat getting to watch a band as they blossom into their truest selves. The success that Valley have reached with their latest album has been beyond well deserved and, as was evidenced in the venue that evening, they have fostered quite a devoted fan base. Valley has all of the keys to success on the carabiner tucked into their work pants — now it’s time to use them up and keep climbing the ladder of success!
