Allie Sandt at the 'Sco
Rhys Hals reviews up-and-comer Allie Sandt's performance at the 'Sco.
By Rhys Hals
On the first night of March, Allie Sandt hailed from Syracuse, NY to grace the ‘Sco’s stage under warm purple lights. I went in blind, and oh boy could I not have been more pleased.
Student artists Ella Grzeca and James Failla opened for Sandt under the band name A Personal Day. Playing on keys and guitar their soft melodic songs depicted tales of broken hearts and the end of the world…
Most people left after the opener.
Allie Sandt climbed onto stage donning big glasses and big boots, bringing a big personality to match. As she tuned her guitar, she did some crowd work, asking for Ohio facts and sharing about her time at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame earlier that day: “There were a lot of bald dads in t-shirts.” “That’s how Allie likes it,” joked her backup vocalist, also named Ali.
Within the first three lines of her first song in the set I knew I was watching something extraordinary. Sandt’s voice is rich, strong, smooth, and incredibly powerful. Her music is folk-esque with heavy drums and guitar. I found myself swallowed whole in her sound, hanging onto every lyric, immersed in every chord.
She opened with her newly released single “Ace.” “The Right Time” has a jazzier sound, while the unreleased “Amanda’s Antiques” has witty lyrics with a nice backstory.
A few songs into the set she asked the queerest looking crowd if we liked Big Thief. A resounding yes. She broke into the first notes of “Vampire Empire,” and I got nervous. I feel very strongly about the song, and not many have the power to give me goosebumps the way Adrianne Lenker does. But Sandt proved herself. I absolutely lost myself in the sheer power with which she sang Lenker’s lyrics. She screamed the last verse, unleashing something within me. She gave Lenker a real run for her money.
After finishing the cover, Sandt took the time to introduce her band, all of whom just graduated from SUNY Oneonta last May. Sandt was joined by Ali McQueeny on backup vocals, Michael Aaron on bass, and Mia Azabis on drums. This is when she dropped the real bomb. Unbeknownst to me, she, Ali and Michael used to be in the band Seeing Double.
Seeing Double released their breakout indie rock single “Leah” in 2022. It gained popularity after the band shared videos titled “Brushing Our Teeth Until Our Song Goes Viral” and it did just that. A friend introduced me to the song my junior year of high school and it has been one of those songs I listen to obsessively for a few days every other month.
Sandt and co. played Seeing Double’s songs “Leah” and “Take It Or Leave It,” also released in 2022. The funky melodies and enchanting vocals familiar to me in streaming stayed true to a live performance of the track.
By the end of her set, Sandt was singing to a crowd of about ten. She deserved better, but I am excited to be able to say “I chatted with her once” when she is a household name.