On Tuesday night, The Never proved that pop is more than just the vintage T-shirts and lyrical puns in which it is manifested.
With its captivating hour-and- a-half set, the Chapel Hill outfit made clear that beneath a sugary exterior, pop music can encapsulate everything from heartbreak to newfound love.
From the opening song, “The Littlest Things,” a track featured on last year’s local Hear Here compilation, the three-part harmonies of Noah Smith and Joah and Jonny Tunnell were as pristine as The Beach Boys.
Concert Review
The Never
The Union Cabaret
Tuesday
Dive verdict: 4.5 of 5 stars
SNMNMNM’s Seamus Kenney opened with a preview of his opera, “All Hail the Comet,” a rollicking blend of rock and classical styles.
Weaving in and out of intricate arrangements of piano, acoustic guitar, electric guitar and drums, the group filled the Union Cabaret with a maelstrom of pop magic.
And despite its use of accessible chord progressions, the band wasn’t limited by the classic template to which it adhered. The Never navigated a perfectly crafted set list, moving from a vampire-themed song to a contemplative musing on aging and death.
While the dexterity of the band’s catalog was a major asset, it was the group’s presence that solidified its performance. Smith’s voice pierced the small space unwaveringly, and the chemistry between the three musicians culminated in intense, climactic crescendos.
Acoustically and visually, the Union Cabaret highlighted the three-piece. The audience crowded against a partition and perched at tables that circled the band on three sides. There was little distance between the men, the audience and the music.
Moments like the one where Jonny Tunnell and Smith peered over the small set list embodied the general feeling of the show. Both men crowded together unabashedly, joking about the small print as the audience laughed. It was self-deprecating, awkward and ultimately charming.
There was plenty of joking and lightheartedness — a fake cattle skull, Jonny Tunnell’s retro owl shirt, an ironic disco ball — but when the laughter subsided and the harmonies filled the Cabaret, it was a spine-tingling experience that affirmed the eerie, formidable power of great pop music.
Contact the Diversions Editor at dive@unc.edu.
