Live music review: Ambient Artistry by Bayonne at Empire

In a crowded Empire Control Room last Thursday the already warming, Texas heat and humidity of the late Spring / early Summer season were amplified in Austin. Fans were forced to stand uncomfortably close together or against a wall. The sold-out venue was packed. One could have remained in the bar area, it was sparsely populated before show time. But those wedged into the crowded room were there for good reason, to witness the homecoming performance of Austin-based musician, Bayonne.

Whatever you like to call it, “Dream Pop,” “Ambient Electronic,” “Synth Psych,” the genre has bubbled underneath mainstream music for some time. It’s also saturated with talent. Through an ambient (see what we did there?) cloud of smoke and lighting, Roger Sellers, notoriously known as Bayonne emerged, supplemented with blue-purplish backdrop. The crowd erupted as the he and his drummer took a prominent position on stage. Not long into his first song, “QA,” Bayonne stopped the performance because of a slight technical issue, “…sometimes beginning a show, shit fucks up.” The crowd’s concerns are immediately alleviated when Sellers continued, “we pretend it didn’t happen.” As promised, Bayonne begins the song again and proceeds to perform the opening track in perfect form, unfazed by the false start.

The show continued with “Drastic Measures,” the title track of his most recent record release.  The dream-like, bell instrumentation of “Appeals,” a prevalent sound became amazingly impressive; Roger Sellers has an uncanny ability to piece a track together live on stage using a variety of instruments.  Sellers owned the stage with artistry, looping keyboards, drums (second set), guitar, and a variety of electronic instruments. He was all over the stage, in what appeared to be organized chaos of ambient sonic resonance. The performance was stirring, watching him keep up with all the moving parts. Bayonne entranced the crowd as the set continued, with “Uncertainly Deranged,” “Gift,” and “Sincere.”

After the ten-song set, Sellers treated the still-entranced crowd with “Falls” and “Omar” an encore. It was quite a crowd-pleasing crescendo.  Bayonne didn’t verbally interact with the crowd much through the show, but through stunning visuals and stage presence, the connection with his audience was well established. Bayonne is an exceedingly talented musician. To witness his live performance will leave one with a deep appreciation for his talent for translating his music to the live stage.  

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