The Greeting Committee Create Community in Santa Ana
Written by Natalie Melendez
Graphic by Rebekah Witt
In The Greeting Committee’s latest release, frontwoman Addie Sartino grapples with the consequences of self-inflicted solitude. She speaks plainly but honestly, often masking the pain with groovy, sunkissed melodies. Everyone’s Gone and I Know I’m The Cause might be an insight into Sartino’s rather lonesome life, but its intricate production and catchy lyricism flourish in front of a roaring crowd.
On August 2nd, the four-piece from Kansas (Sartino, Pierce Turcotte, Noah Spencer, and Micah Ritchie) brought their new release to the stage of Santa Ana, CA’s Constellation Room. The sold-out event kicked off with support from the lively Toledo, whose effortless charisma and soft indie tunes instantly won over the West Coast audience. By the time TGC made their way to the stage with the set-opener “Tell Me I’m Wrong,” the energy in the room was already explosive. Sartino’s vocals rang loud and silky smooth, the instrumentation bold and riveting.
With every following track, TGC seemed committed to turning up the antics a little more than the last. Fan-favorite “17”—famously featured in the final installment of Netflix’s To All The Boys trilogy—was a warm nod to the band’s debut, This Is It. The 2018 song, even six years after its release, remains as springy as ever. “Is This It?” prolonged the nostalgia, making a choir of the dancing crowd, while new tracks “Little Bit More” and “Sex and Taxes” were a bedroom pop dream. “popmoneyhits,” especially, thrives on the stage. While the track’s maximalist production often feels too heavy on the album, the live version makes every synth shimmer.
Despite the dynamic performance, Sartino didn’t speak much throughout the set. Instead, she closed her eyes and swayed, jumped, or shook her hands above her head. During “Bird Hall,” she even jumped into the crowd. TGC, indeed, put on a hell of a show. But part of what made the show so vivid was the fact that each and every member seemed so lost in their own world. They played in unison but with different headspaces, immersing themselves in the music just as much as the crowd. Sartino shook uncontrollably during “Can I Leave Me Too?” while Turcotte headbanged to his own beat, Spencer shredding his guitar like no one was watching.
It helps, too, that TGC understands when a song requires extra flair for the stage and when to stay true to the recorded tempo. “Call In The Morning” remained mellow and intimate, but when the final bridge came around, Sartino traded her whispers for screams more hysterical, more panicked than in the original. It made for a breathtaking scene that, above all, proved Sartino’s dedication to her craft.
Energy remained high through the rest of the night with “Don’t Talk,” the career-defining “Hands Down,” and “Make Out.” A raging crowd, happy to hear one more 2018 hit before the end of the show, immediately embraced set-closer “Pull It Together.” Simultaneously, the audience and TGC chanted, “Hey kid, you’ve been down?/You got yourself some good company now.” Sartino motioned to the packed room in front of her and smiled.
The Constellation Room, beloved as it is, is no easy feat. The adjoining, larger main room of the venue is almost always blaring with a bigger, louder act. But TGC sure knows how to stand their ground. Thanks to their infectious energy and an adoring crowd, it really did turn out to be a night in good company after all.