Sarah & The Sundays w/ The Slaps: SHOW REVIEW Irving Plaza 3.21.25

On Friday, March 21, New York indie rock fans had the wonderful opportunity to catch Sarah and the Sundays at Irving Plaza on their largest headlining tour yet. The Austin-based quintet sped through a fantastic 21-song set, including most of their latest album Like A Damn Dog, their hits “Moving On” and “Vices,” and a fantastic cover of “Kids” by MGMT. The show also served as frontman Liam Yorgensen’s first show since he moved to Brooklyn, an update that received rapturous applause from the audience. 

While each of the band members looked just as excited to be in the room as the audience members, it was guitarist Brendan Whyburn who stole the show for me, constantly twirling around the stage and giving expressions of glee at every moment. Sarah and The Sundays has gathered a fervent fanbase since their inception in 2019 which was exemplified when a fan gifted the band cookies with the Like A Damn Dog artwork drawn in the icing. It was a beautiful gesture that, in my eyes at least, demonstrates how special this band is and how open their fans are to reciprocating that love.

It’s a very special time to be a fan of indie rock with bands like Sarah & The Sundays on the scene. You can catch them on tour at the dates here and you can listen to Like A Damn Dog on Spotify and Apple Music.

Opening up for the rock quintet was Chicago-based alternative group The Slaps, hot off the heels of their 2024 record Mudglimmer. While they usually operate as a trio, drummer Josh Reising was unfortunately absent for the New York show. Vocalist Rand Kelly and bassist Ramsey Bell put together a beautifully engaging set, relying on the well crafted guitar setup to propel the audience into a dreamlike soundscape. Kelly’s vocals sat so well on top of these luscious guitars that it was easy to embrace their performance, even in their instrumental passages. The Slaps were a great start to the evening, and I know I’m not the only one wanting to check out more of their music after their performance.

The Slaps will be on the Sarah & The Sundays tour until 4/1, after which they will be hopping on Finn Wolfhard’s solo tour in California. I highly recommend catching them if you have the opportunity to do so! You can check out Mudglimmer on Spotify and Apple Music.