On the eve of the release of their new album, Headful of Sugar — and drummer Olive Faber’s birthday, no less — Sunflower Bean finally got to headline one of their hometown’s biggest venues: Webster Hall. (Get tickets for the rest of their upcoming headlining dates here.)
The setlist featured almost every song from the trio’s latest LP (except highlight “Stand by Me,” which admittedly was a strange omission), but there were plenty of fan favorites and deep cuts in there too. “Twentytwo” — a track Julia Cumming revealed to us is her favorite song to play live — mad an appearance early on, while the encore closed with “Somebody Call a Doctor” off their very first EP, 2015’s Show Me Your Seven Secrets.
While the concert was clearly a showcase for Headful of Sugar, it was also a fascinating look at the band’s sonic progression. Having only been releasing music for seven years, the band has gone through noticeable “eras” with each effort. What their Webster set showed, though, was that whether they were exploring dance pop (“Post Love”), revisiting their psych-rock days (“Wall Watcher”), or getting alternative (“Feel Somebody”), they remain distinctly Sunflower Bean.
Check out photos of Sunflower Bean’s Webster Hall concert from May 12th, 2022, followed by the show’s complete setlist.
Setlist:
Headful of Sugar
In Flight
Twentytwo
Otherside
Roll the Dice
Baby Don’t Cry
Easier Said
Moment in the Sun
I Don’t Have Control Sometimes
I Was a Fool
Post Love
Who Put You Up to This?
Beat the Odds
Wall Watcher
Feel Somebody
Encore
Shake
Somebody Call a Doctor