It’s difficult to pass up a $17 concert ticket, especially when you’re a broke college student looking for some fun. When a friend of mine hit play on Próxima Parada’s fourth album, “Kind Reminder,” I knew I had to experience the warm and joyous sound of this band in person.
So, on Nov. 10 we hit the road to Portland, but not before packing our bags with all of the essentials for a fun night: dark red lipstick, tights, skirts, thrifted cotton sweaters, sweet perfume bottles and a spark of excitement.
Once we got over the whirlwind that is parking downtown, we walked down 4th Avenue and were immediately hit with the particular energy that one can only find in the midst of bright neon lights and people sharing a smoke on the side of the street.
The nightlife followed us to the first floor of Jack London Revue as people crowded around multiple pool tables and ordered drinks from the bar. The laughter in the room was louder than the R&B blasting from the speakers.
As we headed down the stairs to the venue, the chaos came to an abrupt stop. With dim lighting, sets of wooden tables and people drinking wine, it resembled a sophisticated jazz club from a rom-com. Yes, I’m referencing La La Land. It was beautiful and mesmerizing for a freshly turned 21-year-old, who’s used to attending overcrowded frat parties or kickbacks in someone’s backyard.
And then all of a sudden, without an introduction or even a hello, Próxima Parada opened up with “So Many Ways to Get Downtown.”
Immediately, the room vibrated with lead singer Nick Larsons’ high-pitched and raspy voice followed by a dreamy beat. Concertgoers sprung up from their seats and made their way onto the dancefloor. To my surprise, fans moved their bodies energetically and passionately as if they didn’t have bones. Glasses of wine turned into vodka cranberries. Music I perceived to be mellow and relaxing was somehow transformed into music I could mosh to.
When Larson sang “I’ma water them seeds that make me feel alive. I don’t wanna just live, aw hell, I wanna thrive,” I saw this motto reflected on the smiles across the crowd and the way their hands flowed in the air.
In 2012, Bryson Bailey, Kevin Middlekauff, Nick Larson and Andy Olson met at California Polytechnic State University during their freshman year and began making music together. So far, they have released five albums with songs that encompass a light-hearted indie soul vibe.
Their name means “next stop” in Spanish and was inspired by the daily bus trips they took to class where they would hear “Now approaching, Próxima Parada.” Larson told the crowd the name serves as a reminder that it’s important to focus on the present moment while appreciating the stops along the way instead of just the destination.
When Próxima Parada released their song “Musta Been a Ghost” in 2019, they had no idea it would go viral three years later on TikTok. Creator Matt Firestine, who runs a music account, recommended the “hidden gem” in a video that now has 3.2 million likes. Since then, the band’s fanbase has grown exponentially.
Halfway through the show, the band and their friends grouped together with a couple of acoustic guitars and sang their newest song, “Tunnel Through a Mountain,” into one microphone. The room suddenly felt smaller as people wrapped their arms around their loved ones and swayed from left to right to a hopeful message. With some members not wearing shoes and all of them huddled together leaving no gaps, it was an incredibly vulnerable moment. I even stopped picking at my delicious basket of fries to embrace my friend.
Eventually, the band disappeared without a goodbye, which the crowd read as a signal to begin stomping our feet on the hardwood floor and chanting “encore.” To our satisfaction, the four guys came back out, but this time dressed as bananas in bandanas to end with their jivey song “Hannah Hannah,” which was more like “Hannah Banana.” They called themselves Banana Bandana Bandit Boys and earned the kickass name as they stole the hearts of the crowd with their contagious child-like demeanor and optimistic lyrics.
If you ever come across some cheap tickets to a random concert, I’d recommend going because well … you won’t be able to dance forever and the experience might just end up surprising you.
