Words by Jess Catcher. Photos by Lauren Khalfayan, find more of her work here.
My most recent night with Shybaby started with Grace Eire texting me a chill message about putting me on the guest list. That was followed shortly by another message, this time in all caps: “BEING A CHARGER?!” I was pretty sure she wasn’t confused about somehow metamorphosing into an actual electric current, so I rushed back up to my apartment to grab a phone charger.
Much like that exchange, the evening remained unpredictable. I didn’t see the first couple of bands, but the group right before Shybaby included a three-piece brass section and matching tie dyed t-shirts. The bar itself, Lucky 13 Saloon, was a blend of goth regulars taking in the strippers on the bar and buttoned-up yuppier types who were clearly there to take in the spectacle of it all.
The members of Shybaby stood out in their own way, though. Grace and Tess Mooreland, who share guitar and vocal duties, and bassist Ben Hansen have taken to bedazzling their faces with deep reds, crystal blues, and shimmery silver jewels that reflect off of them from the stage. Drummer Charlie McGrath draws a line in the sand when it comes to joining in on these delightful sparkles. That said, the giant devil woman tattooed on his torso who makes an appearance at every show still leaves her own impression on the audiences’ memory.
After I handed over the phone charger to Grace, she let me in on a little secret: Her pal Lauren, who happens to be the muse behind the song “Loron” on the band’s 2017 EP (PBR Tallbetch, available on Spotify), was there to surprise Tess. Ironically, unlike the lyrics which selfishly beg Lauren not to leave town for higher education, she has earned an unfortunate reputation as a bad luck charm when it comes to attending Shybaby shows. Her sweet reunion with Tess and the hug between all three women (who met in an a cappella group) was genuinely heartwarming.
When the clock inched closer to 11:00, I watched Grace and Tess huddle together to whip up a setlist. Before heading to the stage, the whole band took a shot of what I can only assume was the cheapest whiskey available as they yelled in unison: “A real cowboy hat never falls off!” Charlie explained to me that this phrase was inspired by a memory of watching The Amazing Race with his family. It’s now taken on a new life as their rallying cry and the title of their next EP (out this Friday). A full length album is also currently in the works.
Ahead of their whiskey shot, at least half of the group apparently had plenty of time to stock up on extra liquid courage before stepping on stage. I had no idea while I watched them perform – I had switched to High Life early on to make sure I wasn’t too toasted to remember what happened, and the band’s vibe seemed as infectious and charismatic as ever. I only saw what I’ve always seen: Shybaby connecting with their audience like they all just happened to be a rad party together. Heck, even before Grace walked out into the crowd during “Skype Sex,” a small yet mighty mosh circle had formed in a swirl of good-natured aggression.
The show ended with something like “this is crazy, Lauren, you’re bad luck and I love it.” Like she and Tess in the song beckoning “Loron” to stay, everyone just wanted more from Shybaby. It didn’t take long for Charlie to recommend they play “Loron” to appease the masses.
If you’ve seen them perform the song live, you know that it usually comes with a catch: no one plays their own instrument. This time, only Grace and Charlie managed to trade sides, but it wasn’t without the same gusto they put into the purposely off-key performance of the beautiful harmonies Tess and Grace share on actual the track.
Upon leaving the venue, an initial plan to have equipment and people hop in the back of a friend’s pickup truck was sadly yet rightfully abandoned. Charlie, who immediately situated himself between the leather cases of drum heads and guitars in the truck bed, seemed especially heartbroken when cooler heads prevailed. Had it not been seriously illegal and had he been wearing a cowboy hat at the time, I am sure it would not have fallen off throughout the entire ride back to Bushwick.
At this point, my memory gets a little hazier. I do know that I used the bathroom as soon as we got to Grace’s place and returned to find myself completely abandoned. It wasn’t a weird prank or anything — Grace had left to grab more beer and the others followed her in search of some much-needed midnight snacks. Grace came back first after I sent her a text and performed an apologetic adrenaline-fueled dance for me to the Post Animal tunes playing loudly from her turntable.
When everyone else returned with food from Pita Palace, the conversation assured that the Shybaby show hadn’t been afflicted by a curse of Lauren’s presence. OK, one of Charlie’s cymbals may have fallen over early on in the set and, sure, maybe Grace had a beer-fueled conference with Ben about which chord she was supposed to be playing before launching into another song. But those moments were quickly absorbed by the band’s camaraderie both with each other and everyone else in the room. I’m confident that anyone who was there that night would tell you the exact same thing. I may be a Shybaby stan, but I certainly wasn’t the only one in the crowd cheering them on.
A Real Cowboy Hat Never Falls Off is out this Friday. Watch the video for “Mumblin” below and Follow them on Instagram and Facebook, and listen to the EP on all streaming services this Friday.
