LIVE REVIEW: Ball Park Music @ Miami Marketta - 09/06/2019

The first time I saw Ball Park Music was three years ago. It was their Every Night the Same Dream Tour. Now, two or so years later, I’m back at my favourite venue with my favourite band. I can’t wait to see how much better thier live show has gotten. 

I arrive just in time for Tia Gostelow. The venue’s stage is placed in a different position. It’s at the end of an alleyway rather than in its usual place in a separate room. From this I can tell the crowd is going to be huge. In fact, the room is already half full.

Tia is dressed to impress. She wears a turquoise suit jacket and matching skirt over a plain black turtleneck - comfy yet classy. Beside her dressed all in white stands her new band. They’ve all just returned from their first European tour and they play tight.

Tia runs through all of her best tracks, including her triple j Like a Version cover of Empire of the Sun’s ‘We Are The People’, which hits all the right notes with the crowd. New bassist Marcus’ voice compliments Tia’s perfectly for all the harmonies and his voice makes its way to the forefront as he fills the male lines in ‘Strangers’. The set finishes with Gostellow’s biggest track ‘Phone Me’. “One of these days I’m gonna get it together.” I find this song’s first line deceiving because to me, it seems like she already has.

By this point the crowd is thick and the room is full. I have no idea how many people I am surrounded by, all I know is there’s a lot. I contemplate heading to the bar, but know damn well if I budge even the littlest bit I will lose my spot only a few rows away from the stage front. I decide to stay because I want to see all of what Ball Park has to offer. As the set was began, I knew immediately I had made a wise decision.

‘Literally Baby’ opens and after this leading man Sam Cromack addresses the crowd. “Sunday is just a word- tonight is the best night of your life!”, he announces, which I must admit rubs off as a little ironic given that the next song is ‘The End Times’.

Ball Park Music's set is everything I could ever have asked for and more. The band goes through snapshots of their entire discography. This puts me in a very fittingly good mood.

‘Surrender’ was the first song I had ever heard by this band. I remember studying the video in high school film. I feel my personal connection to the song grow deeper as I hear it live.

‘It’s Nice To Be Alive’ is a crowd favourite. This is the first time I hear it played with a full band. (Usually, Sam does an acoustic version). I groove along.

‘Trippin The Light Fantastic’ is another pleaser. Following this is one of my all-time favourite tracks from Museum, ‘What’s On Your Mind?’. ‘Sad Rude Future Dude’ begins and I am beyond excited to see this performed. I find the song sums up perfectly the lyrical absurdity that creates the band’s core appeal.

The band plays ‘Fence Sitter’ then announces that this will be the second last song of the night. I am sad to see the show come to a close but happy to hear one of the band’s earliest songs. Sam thanks all the fans who had been there since the beginning and then immediately distinguishable opening riff cuts in. Stage lights flash red as closer ‘Hands Off My Body’ begins. I bet the lighting guy was having the time of his life. Sam and Jen throw bottles of water into the crowd before leaving the stage.
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I leave the Marketta shortly after. As I do I can still hear the crowd pleading for an encore which never comes. I find solace in a quiet, almost empty bus. Putting in my headphones I listen to Ball Park. They've absolutely rekindled my love for them.

Words by Emily Hollitt