Photos and words by Samantha Skapin

After an eight-year hiatus, Balance and Composure made a triumphant return to The Roxy in Lakewood earlier this month. Touring in light of their newest album with you in spirit, the crowd was filled with longtime fans eager to experience the new music live for the first time. Balance and Composure had brought some strong support with them, with MILLY and Kevin Devine and the Goddamn Band filling out the bill for the night.

MILLY

MILLY, a four-piece band from Los Angeles, opened the show. Fresh off the release of their latest album, Your Own Becoming, I had heard a few tracks beforehand, but was blown away how these songs translated live. They blended the warmth of shoegaze with familiar slowcore melancholy – obviously a fitting choice to open for Balance and Composure.

The band showcased several tracks from the new release, including “Bittersweet Mary” and “Running The Madness”. Brendan Dyer’s voice echoed through the room as he sang about lost connections and haunted memories, resonating deeply with the crowd. The band’s use of distortion and feedback throughout their set balanced a hum of nostalgia you feel throughout their releases with the sharpness of loss. MILLY’s energy was contagious, with plenty of nods of approval within the room through the entire set.

MILLY also included older tracks in the setlist like “Talking Secret”, but focused mostly on their new material, closing with “Spilling Ink,” a high-energy track featuring guitar tones to die for. MILLY was a perfect choice as the opener, and I can guarantee they gained many new fans with this set, including myself. I highly recommend giving these guys and Your Own Becoming a listen here.

Kevin Devine and the Goddamn Band

Next was Kevin Devine and the Goddamn Band. If you’ve been living under a rock, Kevin Devine has had quite a career over the years through various projects. As a collaborator in Bad Books with Andy Hull, running a fan-adored Patreon, and working and touring with “The Goddamn Band”, he’s been busy. Every time I see Kevin play, it brings nothing but a smile to my face. His music is important not only to him but also to countless fans. You could feel the energy shift as Kevin and the Goddamn Band (Damon Cox and Mike Strandberg) took the stage, many clapping and cheering before the first note was even played.

The setlist included crowd favorites such as “Cotton Crush,” “Carnival,” and even “I Could Be With Anyone” off the 2009 release Brother’s Blood. The harmony between Kevin, Damon, and Mike is undeniable, as they all feed off each other’s energy throughout the set, sounding tighter than ever. Watching Kevin perform with the Goddamn Band is a joy; the energy is through the roof and changes the whole vibe of the room. He interacts with the band throughout each song, bouncing across the stage like an Energizer Bunny to the point where it looks like he might fall off. The crowd reflects this energy, jumping up and down and singing along to every word.

They wrapped up the set with “Brother’s Blood,” another crowd favorite that I always look forward to hearing in different live variations. During the last few minutes of the song, Kevin begins to scream the lyrics, keeping the audience completely hooked until the end. I have nothing but good things to say about Kevin Devine and the Goddamn Band, and I’m so delighted I got to see them after such a long time. If you get the chance to see Kevin live, please don’t hesitate and go.

Balance and Composure

Next up was what the packed room was all waiting for, Balance and Composure. Being a fan since their first EP Only Boundaries, the last time I had seen the band play was 2017. I was afraid I wouldn’t ever get a chance to see them again and I’m glad I was wrong. Balance and Composure took eight years off to focus on themselves and came back swinging. They released their newest album, with you in spirit via Memory Music (renown producer Will Yip’s label) earlier this month. The album blends the nostalgia you feel when listening to Separation with a newfound depth and atmospheric sound. Along with the album, the band announced a small tour to coincide with it and Lakewood was lucky enough to be one of the dates announced. The crowd (including myself) was excited to hear songs off the new album live and how they would translate in that setting. 

They started off their set with a bang, playing the intro track “restless” off of the new release. This led straight into track two of the album, “ain’t it sweet”. The band is great at balancing the electronic experimentation in this new release with a raw sense of urgency. This feels like a nod to the subdued intensity of Light We Made, but with a newfound clarity and purpose. These two tracks were a perfect duo to lead the set, showcasing the new songs while creating a build-up and intensity for the rest of the set.

The band trucked into songs the crowd hasn’t heard live for the past eight years. This included “Void”, and “Quake” off of Separation, and “Parachutes” off of the sophomore release The Things We Think We’re Missing. The crowd showed the band how much they were missed, as they went ballistic during these songs, jumping and shouting the words back. The band’s energy reflected their excitement to be back on stage together, and their chemistry was evident with each song delivered with precision and emotion. 

While still sure to play songs off of previous releases, the band still showcased with you in spirit, playing multiple songs off of the album. During “any means” special guest Kevin Devine came out to sing and play alongside vocalist Jon Simmons.

The band closed off the set with one of my favorite tracks “Notice Me” from their sophomore album. Simmons didn’t even have to sing most of the track. He turned the microphone stand around for the crowd to scream the song back to him while crowd surfers soared towards the stage. They took a small break and came back for an encore, Simmons now repping Cleveland by sporting a Cleveland Guardians jersey. He played a few minutes of “Dirty Head” solo until the rest of the band joined towards the end. They finished off the night with “Reflection” another crowd favorite.

Overall, I think it’s easy to say Balance and Composure have been greatly missed. Hearing many of the songs from albums I’ve listened to front to back for years live again felt like a warm hug from a friend you haven’t seen in a long time. I think it’s fair to say that they felt a warm welcome from the fans at The Roxy that night too. The show not only showcased the strength of their new material but also reaffirmed their place as masters of atmosphere and emotion. with you in spirit feels like a complete chapter for the band, one that fans were lucky to experience in full force on stage.

Check out the album here and keep an eye out for any upcoming tour dates, you won’t want to miss it.