Almost a Private Party : Leisure Crusie at La Vitrola

Posted on May 11, 2014. Written by Rachel Levine

Leisure Cruise. Photo Rachel Levine.

Small but mighty, the crowd that came to see Leisure Cruise (read our interview HERE) was treated to a show by two gifted Brooklynites and their talented backing band. Their latest hit single Double Digit Love is their clear winner, but everything else played could qualify for Miss Congeniality. High energy and in constant motion, Leah Siegel and Dave Hodge exchanged quips and despite all claims to the contrary, seemed slightly neurotic and edgy in the way that New Yorkers stereotypically are. Not that I’m complaining. Siegel danced with fans, shot her own video with an audience member’s phone, and mentioned her favorite new artist, Matt O’Hare. Overall, the show felt much more like one of those adolescent experiences in which some hip cousins from the big city come to visit and throw a party for your closest friends in the basement. Every single one of your friends is painfully shy, but by the end of the night, the hip cousins have managed to get everyone to come out of their shell and the whole room is moving.

As it was my first visit to La Vitrola, a quick description. This is the newest venue on St. Laurent, a part of the Casa del Popolo, Sala Rossa, Il Motore group. It feels a lot closer to Casa than the other two, but with a wide open, flat space with a low elevated stage. The bar is reminiscent of Casa’s, minus the food. Tables and chairs give a place to watch, lounge style. Between songs, Spanish music emanates from the floor below.