Foster The People Night One in Brooklyn NY

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Foster The People Night One In Brooklyn, NY

Foster The People is back in NYC to perform after a 7 year tour hiatus with support from Good Neighbors.

Good Neighbors

Good Neighbors is an indie-rock duo hailing from London. Members Oli Fox and Scott Verrill released their debut single “Home” in 2024 which peaked at number 26 on the UK charts. The group opened the show with their song “Keep It Up” which is an uplifting tune about staying positive and giving life your best shot. “When life ain’t goin’ your way, keep it up, it up, it up.”

Album Promo

Oli took a moment during the set to promote a new album the band has coming out and mid-sentence, noticed a fan holding a sign at which he pointed and exclaimed “Oh yeah! That’s the album!” Oli and Scott signed the poster and noted “Hey, that’s free promo for the album. That was great.” Then to the crowd “That’s what you get if you listen to our album” referencing the signed poster and attention that the fan received.

Good Neighbors rocked the stage with high energy and great vibes. Singer Oli was jumping to different sides of the stage and all around a smiley and upbeat presence. Every member of the band looked like they were having a great time while performing and interacting with one another on stage.

Band Members

Good Neighbors was supported on stage by guitar and keyboard player Jeni Magana, guitarist James Coates, and drummer Duncan Brookfield. During their fourth number “Skipping Stones”, Oli brought out his own drum and played alongside Duncan. I personally was a fan of the drummer’s wardrobe choice which involved sporting a “Daddy’s Little Meatball” t-shirt.

Crowd Participation

Later in the set, the band taught the audience the chorus to their track “Somebody” so that the crowd could sing along and the audience killed it with their participation. Their debut single “Home” was well received as well and, being their most well known song, the crowd sang along to the ever-catchy chorus “Darling won’t you take me hoooome”. During “Home” a fan was handed a camera and the band gave the crowd the task of passing it all the way back to the stage by the time the song was over. When Oli checked in as to the status of this challenge, the camera had made it about halfway, so a fan threw the camera quite far, but managed to get it all the way back to the stage with the throw.

Good Neighbors performed a groovy set that, to me, felt like summertime. They were a phenomenal opening act in that they really raised the energy of the room and the crowd was in great spirits for the headliner Foster The People.

Foster The People

Foster The People played their first of two nights at Brooklyn Paramount on their Paradise State of Mind Tour. This is the band’s first tour in 7 years after the release of the 2024 album by the same name. The album is also the duo’s first release since 2017.

Foster The People is composed of frontman Mark Foster and keyboardist Isom Innis. On tour, the group has support from guitarist Zane Carney, drummer Aaron Steele, as well as bass and keyboard player Micah Moffett.

As the band entered the stage, a fan in the front row shouted “Are you gonna pump up my kicks or what?!” referencing the band’s 2010 debut single “Pumped Up Kicks” which, at its peak, reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for eight consecutive weeks and also received a grammy nomination.

A Mysterious Air

Lead singer Mark Foster took to the stage with an enigmatic presence which, in many ways, set the tone for the night. He carried himself with a sort of serene detachment, exuding a calm, almost nonchalant energy that contrasted sharply with the band’s dynamic, synth-driven sound. His stage presence was unusual and his movements were driven by the rhythm. Foster’s dance moves involved a mix of foot shuffles, shoulder rolls often with closed eyes while he lolled his head back as if in a world entirely of his own. Though he never looked particularly thrilled to be there, Foster’s effortlessly cool and slightly aloof demeanor somehow added to the mystique of the performance rather than detracting from it.

The night’s setlist began with the fourth track off the album called “Feed Me”. Foster, in his signature high pitched, slightly nasally tone began singing “I want to hack your code and be your anti-hero. Turn you on and let my one activate your zero.”

On Stage Visuals

The stage was backed by a display of vertical columns of LED lights forming a wave behind the performers. The backdrop was a dynamic, ever-shifting canvas of neon hues and geometric patterns made of light. Throughout the night, the visuals changed to match the mood of each song. The lights pulsed with the beat and provided stimulating visuals that enhanced the overall concert experience.

The show came to a close with an encore of the smash success “Pumped Up Kicks” which the crowd chanted every word to. By the end of the show Foster’s blase demeanor suddenly turned sweet and genuine. When addressing the crowd to thank everyone for coming and to share his love, the singer was personable and warm, making it clear that his previous stage presence was all part of his performing persona.

Foster the People’s performance at Brooklyn Paramount was an enthralling fusion of sound, light, and effortlessly cool energy. They delivered a musical blend of shimmering synths, contagious rhythms, and introspective lyrics.

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