SHOW REVIEW + INTERVIEW: The Unlikely Candiates

By McKayla Dyk

By the time The Unlikely Candidates made their way to The Intersection in Grand Rapids, Michigan, they had already seen half of the country. Alongside The Goo Goo Dolls on a tour earlier this year, The Unlikely Candidates had visited the East Coast and much of the Midwest. Without a break between legs, The Intersection hosted the first stop on their tour supporting The Score.

Before the show, The Unlikely Candidates agreed there would be a significant difference in the vibe of the crowds in these upcoming shows compared to those with The Goo Goo Dolls. They weren’t wrong: with this tour, they went from seated theaters, back to their element of standing-room-only rock venues. Although Chicago and Denver have been regarded as some of their favorite cities to play in the past, I would venture to say Grand Rapids did not disappoint on that front this time around.

Smaller venues like The Intersection provide an intimacy that theaters and arenas can’t afford. This space was the perfect environment for frontman Kyle Morris to jump right into the crowd, bringing everyone into the show. The energy of this live performance blew their already vibrant discography out of the water

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Describing their newest single “Novocaine,” The Unlikely Candidates call it the “slackers’ anthem.” When not on tour, these bandmates catch up on all their missed sleep and make their living tending bars—they write what they know, and they know what people like them want. “Novocaine” makes the perfect soundtrack for those of us who just need a break from the pervasive existential crises in our heads— a break to sleep, to yell, to dance and sing.

Although we’re not certain if an album will follow the single, we can hope. They have come so far over the years—maybe someday we’ll even see them playing with The Strokes! From not even knowing how to tour, to learning to stay healthy and navigate every opportunity on the road, The Unlikely Candidates are taking huge strides in the right direction. Regardless of where they go from here, I know I want to see them again.