Searows (Alec): an ethereal artist whose ability to set the scene in his world matches no other.  With a fanbase of people that crave despondence and the joy in melancholic beauty, his demeanor pairs well with the general energy of his performance.  As someone who has listened to his music for years, I love dissecting it part by part.  First, hearing the way the guitar flows over his voice to then letting the lyrics seep through my skin, chilling my bones.  Alec’s newest album, “Death in the Business of Whaling,” is something familiar to what I have known before; however, there are differences in the world he has built through the grunge and visuals of it.  Starting the album off with Belly of the Whale was a perfect way to begin this new world Alec immerses us in.  

This is how he started off his show at House of Eternal Return: Meow Wolf in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  The first three songs of his recent album were played sequentially to start off the show.  The venue lived up to the expectations and matched the ethereal energy of his performance.  I had only ever been to this Meow Wolf exhibit as a patron, but this concert was a whole different experience.  With bright lights and hidden Easter eggs throughout the venue, there was so much to get lost in; but everyone kept their focus on the show.  The projectors flashed visuals of waves riding over the art installations, adding to the world Alec was building.  Later on in the set, Searows, composed of Alec, Marlow Ostara on bass, Remia Guilella on drums, and Sam Peterson on guitar, played an alternative version of End of the World.  This new version had an energy closer to the newest album.  My favorite of the night was Roadkill, my second favorite song.  If I had closed my eyes, I would have sworn it was just the album version playing on the speaker.  The band sounded so good throughout any technical difficulties that happened.  Though the concert itself was generally a quiet mix of gentle crying from me and other fans and slower guitar music, the crowd irrupted into applause and support when the band walked off.  We all begged for an encore.  The encore of the performance being House Song into Geese left the crowd in awe.  Having the band walk off the stage for the last time felt like when you sit in your car after a breakup, not believing it is over.  The 15 songs played felt like one as the crowd filtered out of the neon lights and quirks of the Meow Wolf art exhibit.