After weeks of anticipation, singer Sarah Gross and her band performed at the Lower East Side’s Mercury Lounge to celebrate the release of her new album “The Killjoy” on Aug. 31. Stage lights cast the room in hues of pink and purple, illuminating the performer and the audience – both equally ecstatic to see one another.
“It was so liberating. I kind of just do everything according to the moon, which sounds crazy,” Gross laughed. “But that night was the supermoon, so there were a lot of emotions running.”
Gross, 23, and her band began recording their sophomore album “The Killjoy” in August of 2022 in Woodstock, New York. In the following months, she completed the post-production work on her own. “I’ve learned a lot over the last year about my producing style and what it feels like to make music with other people in the room and completely by myself,” she said. “It just felt really exciting to wrap it up in a nice bow.” The band recorded the entire album live in-studio, helping it translate perfectly into a concert setting.
The band was greeted with a symphony of cheers as the crowd packed in close to the stage. The Mercury Lounge has a reputation for serving as an intimate and iconic venue. Stars such as Lou Reed, Joan Jett, Lady Gaga, and Lana Del Rey have previously graced the stage. “There’s just something about it that feels very inviting,” she said. “Maybe because it has a bit of that notoriety, I think people go there expecting to see music that is fun and interesting.”
“Liar”, a powerful first track, set the tone for the night. By the time the chorus hit, Gross had transformed the atmosphere of the room with her impassioned vocals. “Liar” is a song you’d want to sway to under a sky full of stars. Gross’ lyrics matched her vocals in strength with fantastic lines about searching for authenticity in a relationship: “All the stories I sell yeah you’re the buyer / I’m a liar.”
The band accompanied Gross for “State I’m In,” the album’s sparkling second track featuring lovely harmonies and witty, self-aware lyricism: “Cause I wanna kiss him and by him I mean her / I’ve got more issues than she deserves.” She encouraged the audience to join in on the final chorus, which they did with gusto. The fans delivered time and again throughout the night, singing loudly along even to songs that had officially been released less than 24 hours ago.
If she was nervous about playing her new album for the first time at one of New York’s coolest venues, it didn’t show. When watching Gross, it’s hard to believe you’re not watching a seasoned professional with decades of experience. Her comfort on stage is palpable.
Gross lists the music of Madi Diaz, Kacey Musgraves, and Bruce Springsteen as inspiration for “The Killjoy.” By lucky coincidence, she was on her way home from a Springsteen concert at Metlife Stadium when the album officially dropped. “I wasn’t even supposed to go to the concert that day, my friend just happened to be selling tickets,” she said. “My guitarist, who also loves Bruce, was with me. We had the day off and we were like, ‘It’s fate. We have to do it.’”
Despite her affinity for heartland rock, the singer was raised on country music. “I grew up with mainstream country radio music day in and day out. It was the only thing that my mom listened to,” she said. “I really loved the storytelling aspect of it.” She later discovered a passion for folk music when she got involved in the Long Island music scene as a teenager. “The Killjoy” combines both folk and country to create a sound steeped in nostalgia. In her Instagram bio, Gross refers to herself as “your neighborly New York cowboy.”
Between songs, she reminisced on the house shows she used to play during her time at Syracuse University, which served as the inspiration she needed to become a full-time musician. She expressed her gratitude for those who have supported her since the early days, from her college campus to “The Killjoy” album release show.
“I wouldn’t be an artist without those house shows. When I went to school, I was fully planning on being an audio engineer and had no intention of being a full-time performer,” she said. “Once I realized people actually tuned into original music at these house shows, I caught the bug and ever since I have not stopped playing.”
Gross and her guitarist Jackson Masters remained on stage while the rest of her band joined the audience for “I Just Wanna Party,” a joyful track dedicated to Gross’ days running around the streets with her roommates at Syracuse.
The night reached peak intensity with the penultimate track “Deep End.” The crowd stood captivated as she launched into the heart wrenching final bridge: “I’ve got so much to give but I’m saving it / I’ve got so much to heal but I’m braving it.”
Gross seamlessly transitioned from “Deep End” into “Killjoy,” the last track on the album and the setlist. The track tells the story of a woman playing songs at a local bar who’s “too damn good for what they pay her.” In contrast to the intensity of “Deep End,” the strum of an acoustic guitar and soft vocals in “Killjoy” offered a moment of peaceful reflection.
“The Killjoy” is bound to resonate with anyone in their 20s. Through eight moving songs, Gross grapples with a decade full of uncertainty, but comes to a tentative conclusion in the album’s titular track with the lyrics: “There’s not one thing I know how to do, but I know there’s power in 22.”