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A boom of guitar chords vibrated the floors of Funk ‘n Waffles as indie pop singer Aidan Bissett strummed the first notes of his song, “Worst Girls of All Time.” Rocking the stage alongside bandmates, guitarist Grant McManus and drummer Fionn Roche, fans erupted into cheers and applause.

“We like to call ourselves the hottest band on earth,” Bissett said.

Bissett performed a 19-song setlist at Funk ‘n Waffles Tuesday night. He is currently touring with indie rock band COIN on its “I’m Not Afraid of Tour Anymore,” which began Oct. 29 and will conclude on March 4. Saint Luke, a Syracuse University senior and indie jazz singer, opened the night.

With two days off from the tour and still in the northeast after his recent show in New Haven, Connecticut, on Oct. 19, Bissett hoped to find a place where he could perform for a night. He’d never been to Syracuse but was told the city had an untapped music scene. When he asked his friends where he should head for his next stop, Syracuse was the first recommendation.

Before Bissett’s headline performance, showgoers trickled in as Saint Luke and his bandmates, guitarist Owen Wernow and drummer Vito Vetere, prepared to open the night. The three tuned strings and adjusted wires.

Lights dimmed and Saint Luke played the first mellow chords of his newest single, “drive slow.” Attendees swayed to notes that reverberated from the walls.

“So many beautiful people here tonight. Shoutout to (Bissett). Shoutout to Funk ‘n Waffles, my favorite venue in Syracuse,” Saint Luke said.

Saint Luke and his bandmates were testing a new wireless set that included backing tracks. Despite some miscommunication with the sound engineer, Saint Luke said the night went well, especially performing for his largest Funk ‘n Waffles crowd.

The group picked up the night’s energy with “ONLY ONE,” “SOS!” and a cover of “Babydoll” by Dominic Fike. They closed their set with a segment of unreleased tracks that earned cheers from the crowd before Bissett took the stage.

Meghan Hendricks | Senior Staff Photographer

Aiden Bissett and his band perform songs from his discography during his set Tuesday night. Bissett added songs that are currently unreleased but scheduled to be on his first album, to the setlist.

Grace Tomlinson, an SU graduate student, came to the show with her friend Vivian Porter, an SU alumna, who said she came back to the city to see Bissett perform. Both Tomlinson and Porter have been fans of Bissett’s for nearly two years.

“Spotify recommended me one of his songs, and then I really liked that and then from there I fell into his music,” Tomlinson said.

Porter said she was obsessed with Bissett’s music since she first heard him and hoped to see him at Lollapalooza two years ago, but could not attend it. She was glad to be at the night’s show and looked forward to hearing her favorite song, “Grocery Store Girl.”

Bissett performed the track, along with others like “All That I’m Craving” and “Planet.” While singing “Wish It Was Me,” Bissett eased into the set, dancing around the stage sporting a pair of pink, heart-shaped glasses. Fans smiled and nodded their heads to the rhythms, while others jumped around and sang to Bissett’s lyrics.

He slowed down his set with “How’s It Gonna End,” and a fiery red spotlight shone on him as he stood center stage playing his guitar.

“If you haven’t moved yet, what are you doing?” Bissett asked the crowd.

With “People Pleaser,” an upbeat track, the floor bounced while listeners around the room danced. A guitar-centered track, Bissett stepped forward to the stage’s edge to showcase his skills on the instrument.

Bissett, McManus and Roche ended the night with tracks like “More Than Friends,” which has amassed over 85 million Spotify listens, and “Ultraviolet,” from his most recent EP.

With a full set, Bissett and his bandmates could add songs and be more playful. Their opening performances for COIN included different arrangements because there was less time to perform. Bissett said the night was a new experience.

“It’s fun to be able to learn how to play a full set,” Bissett said.

Published on October 23, 2024 at 2:10 am