A warm orange haze washed over the Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater as Utah-based indie band The Backseat Lovers took to the stage and began playing the soft opening chords to “Silhouette,” garnering an explosion of cheers from the audience on Nov. 14.

The four piece band performed the entirety of their recently released sophomore album, Waiting to Spill, to a sold out show in Austin. After working on their album for nearly three years, the band’s decision to perform it all the way through placed an emphasis on the record being a cohesive listening experience rather than a collection of songs. Their Austin stop marks one out of seven cities to witness the complete tracklist in a live setting.

The audience never ceased to match the band’s energy, often screaming lyrics alongside lead singer Joshua Harmon as he fervently belted out emotional lines that reverberated across the venue.

“Why does the wall insist I have my back against it?” the audience and performer shouted together during “Growing/Dying.”

While The Backseat Lovers initially made their mark on the indie music scene with electric rock songs like “Kilby Girl” and “Pool House,” the band leaned heavily into acoustic indie folk and blues elements with soulful performances of songs like “Morning in the Aves,” “Snowbank Blues” and “Viciously Lonely.”  

Between songs, the band took time to graciously thank the audience for their support. Jonas Swanson, lead guitarist and background vocalist, spoke to the cheering crowd about how much it meant to him and to the rest of the band that fans sing along. 

After playing the 47-minute album, the band satiated fan demands for their older songs. Segmenting the new with the old created the feeling of two different shows — proving the group’s willingness to pay homage to their roots without sacrificing the intentionality behind Waiting to Spill. Each choice of the night demonstrated the band’s stylistic range and electric dynamic while displaying a maturation in their sound that sets them apart from their musical peers.

Closing with an extended performance of “Still a Friend,” the band returned to the stage after chants for the fan favorite song, “Sinking Ship.” Harmon’s vocals echoed across the venue as he jumped off the stage to the delight of a screaming crowd.

Overall, the Backseat Lovers’ thematic and stylistic cohesion, paired with a stunning light and sound design, created a memorably immersive show that established the young indie band as a force to be reckoned with.