Bird & Byron

“Rock and soul” duo Bird and Byron brought their signature sound to the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles on Friday, October 17th, for the final stop of their October tour with Ocean Alley. With a setlist that fused soul, rock, jazz, and even a little disco, they impressed everyone in attendance as they struck the perfect balance between all four genres.

Bird and Byron have a previous connection with Los Angeles, having spent time living and creating music in the city in the late 2010’s, though currently based out of Nashville, Tennessee. With L.A. being the very place the duo launched their careers, performing on the stage of the Palladium was a full-circle moment.

Blake “Bird” Begere (lead vocals) and Nick “Byron” Lorenz (guitar and vocals) were supported by a remarkable group of musicians. Zachary Lamb (bass), Mike McLaughlin (drums), Josh Lamkin (rhythm guitar), and Dylan Kubilus (saxophone) each showed off their dynamic skills throughout the length of the set. The music they played provided an opportunity for every member to have their moment in the spotlight through standout moments like guitar and saxophone solos.

The environment of The Hollywood Palladium was the perfect setting for Bird and Byron’s sound to be heard. Built in 1940, it had all of its vintage charm still intact. The lighting shifted with each track, as the coordination between the music and the visuals was perfection, pairing unique elements with the mood of each song. From the get go, they took the crowd by storm. Bird and Byron’s set was energetic and spontaneous, really living up to the “last night of tour” hype. They seamlessly swayed between genres, every song offering something new and unexpected, flowing together effortlessly.

Everyone in the audience was engaged, and this was proven when Bird signaled for quiet before a slow and soulful song began. The room immediately fell silent, a small moment of stillness before the music followed. The duo also performed a cover of “Where’d All the Time Go” by Dr. Dog, currently their number one song on Spotify at almost 4 million streams. It showcased the duo’s creativity as the track was reimagined with a twist to fit perfectly into their signature style. It stood out as a favorite of the crowd, everyone gathering together in singing along to the beloved song. The set was closed out with “By My Side,” a song that truly comes alive when heard live, resulting in the audience erupting in cheers as the performance ended, making way for headliner Ocean Alley.

Bird and Byron’s performance at the Hollywood Palladium was nothing short of spectacular. They truly connected to their audience, making sure that every moment of their show made a lasting impact. The set list they put together showed so much variety in their capabilities as musicians, and definitely gained them more than a few new fans by the end of the night.

Closing out their leg with Ocean Alley, this performance sets the stage for their upcoming headlining tour, The Steadyrock Dreamers Tour, kicking off in their neck of the woods in Chattanooga, Tennessee on November 6th.