A signed copy of SHAED’s new EP, Just Wanna See (Photo Credit: Jeremy Bailey)

As the members of SHAED walked triumphantly off the stage at the 9:30 Club, the audience exploded with cheer and began to chant mightily, “One more song! One more song!”

SHAED opened (along with VÉRITÉ) for Marian Hill on Saturday, September 10th, part of the early show at the club that night (scheduled before a separate DJ set at 11pm). Opening bands don’t get an encore in that situation, but the crowd was not having it. Finally, with the expectant crowd in full chant mode, Chelsea Lee (lead singer) had to come back on stage to put the nix on our hopes.

Not that they wouldn’t have played for us all night if given the chance. Early in their seven-song set, Chelsea enthused, “We are so excited to be at the 9:30 Club! This is our second show with Marian Hill and VÉRITÉ, and we’re so f@#king excited!” As a local electropop band from DC, playing at the 9:30 Club is very likely more than just a feather in the cap, it’s a sign that people are paying attention. And you should.

SHAED is Chelsea, along with twin brothers Max and Spencer Ernst playing all the instruments. You may have also heard of them in DC previously as The Walking Sticks.

They just released their new EP, Just Wanna See, the day before the show (on September 9th). Get your own copy here.

With their neon, space-age like set, all wearing black, SHAED started the show off with one of their new singles, “Thunder”. The track is a funky, groovy head-nodder.

Most of their songs are new since they rebranded themselves as SHAED this year. They did perform two songs that I remember hearing previously as The Walking Sticks, “The News” and “Name On It”.

They ended the set with “Running Through the Fields”, a great song with a catchy chorus showcasing Chelsea’s rich voice, especially in the emphatic start of the chorus, “I was running, running, running through the fields. Now I’m waiting for you, waiting for you.” I’m waiting, but I can’t quite get it out of my head.

That they were happy to perform at the 9:30 Club was evident in every song, and the crowd was just as happy to witness them live.

SHAED will be on tour throughout the country through mid-October. I’m not sure when they will grace DC again, but you should make a point to see them next chance you get!

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/279565517″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”150″ iframe=”true” /]

Setlist
Thunder
Perfume
Just Wanna See
The News
(unknown – the first time they played this song)
Name On It
Running Through the Fields