NEEDTOBREATHE came through Treasure Island last week, and it was a blast of a show. I’d only been to this venue once before for Colter Wall (one of my faves), so I knew what to expect in terms of the venue, but not for the “pit.” One thing off the bat that was kind of weird was just being on practically full display for everyone in the venue. With the semi-stadium angled seating, I could be seen by everyone everywhere, and it was just a wee bit odd.

Regardless, starting with the opener, Philip Bowen, this was a really sweet, emotional set, and one that showed a really down-to-earth performance from the North Carolinian. The two on stage played a handful of really fun songs, including ones written about the river outside his home, and also a really sentimental song about miscarriage that, while sad, he used as a moment of support and uplifting others through it. I actually later saw a fan interact with him, and he responded by hugging them and sharing a really sweet moment, which was a genuinely kind gesture overall.

The set became a lot of fun too when Bowen pulled out his fiddle and started to add more to it, saying he’d been playing since he was four years old, which clearly showed in how he played. It was a fun, country-esque set, and I look forward to hearing more from him in the future. Song recommendation from the set: “Vampire in Appalachia.”

Now for the main act of NEEDTOBREATHE!

Once they came out, the whole room got pretty excited, and even with it being an acoustic tour, there was still a lot of energy in the crowd. You could tell people had been waiting for this part all night. It wasn’t loud in the way a full band set usually is, but it also definitely didn’t feel fully “acoustic” either, and there was still some really nice production throughout.

Songs that normally feel bigger and more produced ended up feeling way more personal here, especially with how Bear was singing them. There were a few moments where he just let the crowd take over entirely, and it didn’t feel forced at all, it just kind of happened naturally.

We got some really fun songs like “Spread the Ashes,” “Into The Mystery,” and “The Cave” into “Long Surrender,” where we also got a bit of insight into the album name, which was a cool touch. The ending stretch of the set was especially strong too, with “Something Beautiful,” the “Washes / Lay ‘Em Down / Prisoner” run, and then closing things out with “Outsiders” into “Wasteland.”

It was a lot of fun watching the show, and the crowd was super interactive the whole time, going back and forth between sitting and standing, singing along to pretty much everything. I also personally had a lot of fun hearing some of these songs again. I got to see them live in Austin, Texas last year, and seeing them in a more intimate setting like this was honestly more enjoyable than being in a crowd of 7,000.

Overall, it just felt like one of those shows where nothing needed to be over the top to work, and a chance for the band to really unwind. It was simple in a good way, and you could tell both the band and the crowd were really into it the entire time, which made it stick a little more by the end. The interactions they ahd with the crowd and with each other was sweet to see, and a treat as an audience member. Check em out next time they roll through!