Live Report: julie dazzle Whelan's main stage

julie rocked Whelan’s main stage on Sunday, selling out the packed venue.

Opening up the night was Irish powerhouse Echo Northstar. I had previously heard Paddy Northstar Hennessy perform on night four of Whelan’s Ones to Watch, and his set was nothing short of entrancing. With inspiration from punk, shoegaze and noise rock, his ambient sound filled the entire building. His voice glided above a punchy drumline, and his vocals remained reminiscent of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke. The 2024 single ‘waking up’ was a clear stand-out track, showing off Hennessy’s vocal skill.

Echo Northstar at Whelan's. Copyright Curtis DeSmith.

julie took the stage just past 9 p.m. The shoegaze-inspired trio from California instantly captivated the audience, who began pushing against each other from the jump. I watched as two fans nervously clutched their full beers, nearly spilling them from the nearby mosh.

The band opened with ‘catalogue,’ the first track off their 2024 debut album, my anti-aircraft friend. An overwhelming bass flooded my senses, making it hard to decipher Alexandria Elizabeth’s stunning vocals.

“That’s my wife!” one fan hollered.

Each song blended into the last, with Dillon Lee’s absolutely killer performance on drums standing out. His hands flew around the kit with impressive speed, as Keyan Pourzand’s angsty vocals blended beautifully with Elizabeth’s softer voice.

julie at Whelan's. Copyright Curtis DeSmith.

The band’s enigmatic energy held me in a chokehold, as I lost myself deeper and deeper into their staggering sound. At one point, staff had to corral the audience and ensure the crowd’s safety, as young people all around me crashed wildly into one another.

“Just really quick, be more mindful of the people up here, because they’re like falling over the stage,” said Elizabeth. “Yeah, be courteous!”

A stand-out track of the night was undeniably ‘kit.’ Released in 2020, the single features julie’s signature heavy bass and a starry guitar. Fans sang along and cheered, losing themselves in the moshpit. Another great song, ‘aprils-bloom’ off their 2021 EP pushing daisies, touched on themes of impulsivity and temptation. Every time Elizabeth took the mic, the crowd went wild– and for good reason.

julie ended the night with their debut single ‘flutter,’ which launched them into stardom back in 2020. The instantly recognisable track earned julie tens of millions of streams on Spotify, filled with crashing drums and an eclectic guitar.

“Thank you Ireland,” said Pourzand. “Thank you for coming.”

With an undeniable energy, julie delivered a killer set to fans.