GROUPLOVE overcomes downpour, leaves crowd ‘tongue tied’ at Chevy Court
Alternative rock band GROUPLOVE performed at the Great New York State Fair Sunday night, even as rain poured. With the band's carefree attitude and audience interaction, the rain only enhanced the experience for attendees. Collin Snyder | Staff Photographer
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GROUPLOVE was Ronan Fortin’s favorite band in his early high school years. Seeing people come together for the music he loves was an emotional experience for him.
“100,000%, nostalgic was totally what this was,” the Syracuse local said.
The alternative rock band GROUPLOVE took the stage at The Great New York State Fair’s Chevy Court on Sunday night. Warnings of severe thunderstorms and 80 mph winds issued two hours before the show’s scheduled start of 6 p.m. didn’t stop the shows. Despite starting 30 minutes late, audience members welcomed the band (and the rain) with excitement.
Many attendees had been at the Fair all day, and were advised to seek shelter when the storm hit. Brothers Merritt and Nick Czerow said they weren’t bothered when the rain started, hiding out in the Fair’s indoor bars. When the skies cleared, they were happy to rejoin the festivities, especially to see the concert.
GROUPLOVE opened with their hit single “Itchin’ on a Photograph” from their debut album “Never Trust a Happy Song,” and the crowd instantly began waving their arms and bobbing their heads.
Lead singer Christian Zucconi delivered nasally vocals that carried the first few songs, and fellow vocalist Hannah Hooper took over on later songs, starting with “Scratch.” The band members played off each other throughout the show.
The band performed 15 of their indie-rock hits, including fan favorites like “Tongue Tied” and “Ways to Go.” Some audience members were longtime GROUPLOVE fans, while others were just excited to hear live music.
“I’ll never pass up a free concert,” Czerow said.
Rainfall didn’t keep the audience from enjoying GROUPLOVE’s performance. They simply whipped out umbrellas and ponchos and kept dancing. Collin Snyder | Staff Photographer
Zucconi and Hooper interacted heavily with the audience throughout the performance. The two singers bantered back and forth, even poking fun at the unexpected weather conditions to introduce their songs, “Shark Attack” and “Ways to Go.”
“We just got here. We’re not going anywhere, so I guess we got a ways to go,” Hooper told the crowd.
The audience reciprocated the musicians’ carefree attitude — when the rain began again, they didn’t duck for cover away from the stage. Instead, people whipped out umbrellas and ponchos and carried on enjoying the music. Kate Bailie, an attendee and longtime fan of the band, said the rain enhanced her experience.
“It was kind of a vibe,” Bailie said. “I kept looking out and people were just embracing it.”
Bailie and friends were happy to hear “Deleter,” “Tongue Tied” and “Shark Attack” — all the songs they’d been hoping for. This was the first time they’d seen the band perform after over a decade of listening to their music.
GROUPLOVE’s Sunday show brought together a diverse group at the Great New York State Fair. Some attendees were lifelong GROUPLOVE fans, while others were there just to enjoy a night of live music. Collin Snyder | Staff Photographer
Fortin expected “Tongue Tied” to be the last song on the setlist, given its popularity as the band’s most famous track. But, for him, the song playing a bit before the end made it even better. Rain poured for the duration of the hit and stopped shortly after, giving the song a dramatic, cinematic feeling, Fortin said.
GROUPLOVE closed out the night playing their debut song, “Colours.” The song resonated heavily with Bailie and Fortin, who said it was the perfect choice to end the show.
“I kind of forgot about that song. I wasn’t expecting it,” Fortin said. “It got me kind of emotional, thinking this really is the end of the set.”
The concert brought in people from all walks of life, creating a positive atmosphere which the rain only amplified, Fortin said. GROUPLOVE ended the performance with an optimistic sentiment and thanked the audience for their energy.
“GROUPLOVE goes past this stage,” Zucconi told the crowd. “Bring that love with you into this f*cked up world.”
