*SOLD OUT* Carter Vail — live event
Carter Vail is the kind of guy who can look on the bright side no matter what. Take one listen to the infectious pop-rock he’s been making since 2018 or watch his hilarious videos on TikTok or Instagram, and you’ll find a relentless optimist who crafts inviting tunes with humor and heart. Though the Los Angeles songwriter’s sophomore LP 100 Cowboys boasts the same tasteful and turbocharged alternative that dominates his catalog, beneath the breezy arrangements are his most bracingly personal lyrics yet. Written following a devastating breakup, Vail channels messy, heartbroken feelings into nine galvanizing and cathartic songs. It’s as anthemic as it is compelling, all delivered with palpable, tongue-in-cheek charm. The Connecticut-raised Vail released his first single “Melatonin” in 2018 as a college student at the University of Miami. His degree in music engineering led him to Nashville in 2019 where he started a recording studio with his friends. “We were not very good at it,” says Vail. “We pretty much just ate black beans for two or three years because no one would hire us. The good thing was that gave me a lot of time to work on my own music.” While he amassed a large following on social media making comedy songs and sketch videos on TikTok and Instagram during this span, he also put out three increasingly adventurous albums: 2020’s full-length Red Eyes along with the EPs The Interstellar Tennis Championship Pts I and II in 2020 and 2023. “With all of my music so far, it just came out of a desire to make music rather than a specific inciting incident in my life,” says Vail. “That all changed with 100 Cowboys.” In 2023, Vail, now living in Los Angeles, went through an unmooring breakup that marked the end of a six-year relationship. “Emotionally, I just didn't want to deal with it beyond wanting to write about it,” says Vail. “I locked myself in my studio with my roommate and we wrote this whole record in a month.” Recorded with co-writer and co-producer Noah Tauscher, all but one of the nine songs on 100 Cowboys was written and tracked during this month. The exception is the single “Nashville.” Originally written two years ago as a goodbye to his former home city, he realized the melancholic lyrics like “It’s better to see you all on your own / Than know that you’re out there moving on” took on new, prophetic meaning after the dissolution of the romance.
Starts: 2024-11-23T21:00:00Z
Ends: 2024-11-23T23:00:00Z
Where: 217 East Houston Street, New York, New York 10002, United States
Price: $27.65