James Bay puts a spell on The Independent

James BayBy Marc Fong //

James Bay with Elle King //
The Independent – San Francisco
May 12th, 2015 //

It was a packed house, not only with excited fans, but also with raw talent from extremely talented artists last Tuesday at The Independent. Elle King, full of sass and skill, opened for the dynamic, 24-year-old James Bay. A Los Angeles native, King (whose real name is Tanner Elle Schneider and is the daughter of comedian Rob Schneider) was funny and soulful as well as engaging and personable. Her sound, a mix of deep-rooted bluegrass and pop rock, was upbeat and fun. She ultimately won over the die-hard James Bay fans in attendance.

Bay’s music, meanwhile, is compelling and sincere. The British singer-songwriter’s live show is full of the vibrancy you’d expect after listening to his debut album Chaos and the Calm, which was released in March. He hypnotized the crowd with his music and definitely put a spell on them. If you missed this show, Bay will be back in SF this August to play at Outside Lands Music Festival, and you won’t want to miss his return then.

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