By Danny Deza
The electro rock sounds of Young Love turned afterHOURS into a dance party Saturday night as audience members clapped their hands and let the music move them.
Boston-based indie rock band Pretty ‘ Nice kicked off the show, setting the mood for the rest of the night, while New York-based Young Love finished up the party. Young Love’s frontman, Dan Keyes, graced the audience with his smooth voice and catchy tunes.
With the title of Billboards “Best Bet” of 2007 under its belt, Young Love attracted the attention of afterHOURS manager Tasha Henderson. She said the group has been on her radar since she saw them in concert.
“They have such a catchy tune that I thought they would be a great show to have at Northeastern,” Henderson said. “We really want to expand our indie selection at afterHOURS and we felt that Young Love would be a great way to help start the spring semester.”
After Keyes said farewell to his days of singing for post-hardcore band Recover, he directed his focus to a new pop sound, which has sent his band full force into the music scene.
Keyes’ years of songwriting experience have led to “Find A New Way” earning the theme song position on MTV’s reality dance show “DanceLife,” and “Discotech” being used on the soundtrack of the video game “FIFA 07.”
“From what I have noticed, bands can get huge off of hype,” Keyes said. “We live in a time where everything is a pirate game and people are doing whatever it takes to be seen. Some use YouTube, but for us, TV has really helped us out.”
Middler chemical engineering major Ryan Farrell said Keyes has been innovative since his days in Recover.
“I think it is great to see someone reinvent themselves and do something completely different,” Farrell said. “[Keyes] has a lot of charisma and that is what really attracts his fans.”
After Pretty ‘ Nice wrapped up its set, Young Love came on stage to screaming fans that were eager to dance and sing along.
Starting with Young Love’s first single, “Discotech,” Keyes worked the crowd and had everyone dancing. Despite a positive audience reaction, Keyes said it is not always easy to walk away from a performance with happy faces.
“After touring in Europe, I noticed you really have to prove yourself when you are on stage,” Keyes said. “It’s a harder crowd to work with, but as I go along I continue to make really good music [and] things work out.”
Providence College freshman Erin Cook said it was worth the commute to Boston in order to see her favorite band live for the second time. Cook’s dedication to seeing Young Love was evident as she waited patiently in front of the stage.
“I’m obsessed. After seeing them on the MySpace tour, I was hooked,” Cook said. “Their music makes me want to dance and it makes driving my car so much more fun.”
As Young Love continues to make music about life, inner youth and, of course, young love, each topic reminds listeners to relax and leave troubles behind.
“I have been writing songs for a really long time, for the past 10 years, on a regular basis,” Keyes said. “You write like it is your diary and your personal expression shows.”
