Nation of Language Brings Sweeping Synth Experience to St. Louis

As new-wave indie band Nation of Language finishes its spring 2022 North American tour, its band members have been sure to show the Midwest some love and there’s no better place to play a Midwest show than the city is the “gateway to the west” – St. Louis! This past weekend, St. Louisians were treated to an intimate show by the band at Off Broadway, a venue that has hosted shows for over 30 years, making it an integral part of the city’s history. Explosive energy took hold of the stage from the first song of the opening band, Ducks Ltd., through the finale by Nation of Language, and that energy infiltrated every corner of the venue – filling the night with synth-forward indie-pop tunes and belted vocals.

Two-piece Toronto band Ducks Ltd. did a stellar job opening up the night, accompanied by their touring friends Katie and Jon to complete the four-piece entourage. Approaching the stage with nothing short of absolute gusto, the band certainly earned themselves some new fans that night. The main vocalist, Tom McGreevy, created a dynamic atmosphere with his boisterous energy and sometimes unique approach to playing his guitar. Pretty early on in their set, Tom mentioned that drummer Jon has been itching for a karaoke bar all tour, so here’s to hoping they found a good recommendation! They played tracks from across both of their released albums and quicked the pace of their set as time went on.

Nation of Language took the stage with what I can only describe as 80s synth with sunshine shimmer. Alex MacKay of Cutouts has been on this tour leg with Ian Richard Devaney and Aidan Noelle, sporting a floral pattern within his hair in a fitting way of calling forth the warmer weather. In the midst of his spirited on-stage dance party, Ian took a moment to shout out the fact that Aidan is also a fellow Missourian, and the synthesizer queen mentioned how much she loves the “fair city of St. Louis,” much to the enjoyment of the crowd. As the band played through their latest album, A Way Forward, the energy level set forth by Ducks Ltd. was expanded as audience members bobbed around to its synth-pop musings. Ian also expressed gratitude for Ducks Ltd. as well the fact that places like Off Broadway still exist, noting that the last time the band played in St. Louis was back in 2017.

All-in-all, an absolutely stellar showcase of indie music was on display in St. Louis this past weekend. And to have such a memorable experience in such an intimate venue – what a way to spend a Saturday night. Although the North American tour is on its final days and Nation of Language will take on Europe in the coming months, you can still relive the memories of the night by listening to their album and following them on social media!