Lake Street Dive With Katie Tupper
The Wellmont Theatre-Montclair, NJ
May 14, 2025
I’ve waited a long time to photograph this band ever since first hearing of
them. The first time I heard them was at an outdoor concert series in Battery
Park, NYC. It was a great day for an outdoor concert and fun was definitely had
by all. Lake Street Dive did a unique cover of Jackson Five’s “I Want You Back”
and I’ve been a fan ever since. This night was no different as the crowd waited
patiently albeit excitedly for the band to make their appearance onstage.
Lead singer Rachael Price, with her dynamic voice and killer looks and flowing
evening dress, started the set off with the title track from their newest album
“Good Together” and the crowd was grooving from that point on. The band’s
genre bending sound is a combo of jazz, pop, funk and the supporting members
bassist/background vocalist Bridget Kearney, drummer/background vocalist
Mike Calabrese, keyboard/vocalist Akie Bermiss, and guitarist/background
vocalist James Cornelison put their heart and soul into the well rounded sound
that is Lake Street Dive. The band went through their paces and delighted the
audience with several cuts from their extensive library such as “Help Is On The
Way’, “Bad Self Portraits”, “You Go Down Smooth”, “Rich Girl”, and my personal
favorite “Good Kisser.” This band from its inception has continued to grow and
their fanbase multiplies with each show they put on. They’ve played at several
major music festivals, been nominated for their current album “Good Together”
for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. This band continues to grow and bring
their good vibes to audiences worldwide.
The opening act this evening was a young lady from Saskatoon Canada-
Katie Tupper. Gotta say this young lady with her ethereal sound and husky vocals really captivated the audience with her original songs such as “Need
Nothing,”“She Said,” “Woman No,” “How Can I Get Your Love,” “Cost Of Loving
You” to name a few. This artist leaves you feeling warm and floating with good
feelings while listening to her songs. Amazingly, it was just her, her voice and
her accompanist. The effect was just right as everyone concentrated on her
musical delivery and the essence of her lyrics. Magical to say the least.
Review and Photos by Ray Aponte
