Sylvan Esso @ Union Transfer.

Text and images by Grace Dickinson.

Selling out a venue where they’d been an opening act just four months prior, Sylvan Esso quickly acknowledged how far they’d come in the season that followed.

“This is crazy,” said lead singer Amelia Meath to the packed crowd at Union Transfer on Friday night. “This is just crazy.”

Meath and bandmate Nick Sanborn released their first full-length album back in May and it appeared much of their audience has since learned all of the words. The crowd sang right along with the North Carolina band to hits like “Coffee” and “Play It Right” and maintained a continuous movement with the vivacious duo throughout.

Meath moved upstage as if her arms were wings flapping alongside her undulating chest. Throughout the entirety of the show, she maintained a contagious looseness to her movement, one that was easily desirable to try and replicate.

“I want to be her best friend,” yelled a girl to her friend as they both attempted to match the singer’s dance moves.

Sanborn waved his arms around too, following the beat of the band’s exploratory electronic pop. At one point, they both stopped and Meath gave a humbly warm thank you to those who helped put them where they are today.

“If you see a really handsome squirrel later, that’s our sound guy,” joked Meath after also thanking their band manager.

Sylvan Esso seemingly ended their set but the crowd stomped and cried for an encore.

“Quick spoiler alert – we already played all our party songs,” said Meath.

She then began singing a slower Sylvan Esso tune and then a cover from a band called Porches.

“You should check them out,” she said. “It’s Porches. spelled with a period. Imagine when you’re buying their record, you’re buying them breakfast. Because that’s what you’re doing.”

While this reality is one that Sylvan Esso can likely relate, it’s clear they’ve now surpassed that stage. The two will continue on to headline at places worldwide, set to perform at places like London’s Scala early next year.