A Playdate with Cavetown at The Royale

by Simone Tranfaglia

Robin Skinner, otherwise known as Cavetown, created an atmosphere of childhood innocence with playful songs at the Royale on November 6th. Upon arriving at the venue, purple lights cast a shadow over the crowd, swarming with people of all ages; from parents accompanying their 10-year-olds and 30-year-olds, your avid Cavetown followers. 

The scheduled opener was Austin Thomas, guitarist and bass player for Cavetown perhaps better known as Spookyghostboy. His technical skills were lacking in comparison to that of his bandmates. His soft-boy garage-rock sound pushed his voice into the bleak background which made his act difficult to digest for much of the audience. 

Following Spookyghostboy, Field Medic was a unique choice for an opener considering the audience’s demographic. His blue-grass, banjo playing, indie twang with lyrics commenting on alcoholism and heart-break were foreign ideas to many of the younger audience. He performed song such as “OTL” with lyrics, “emo and horny/one true love” seemed to not sit well with a lot of the audience. However, Field Medic was able to add a comical sense with his song, “I can’t stand it getting dark so early it makes me want to curl up & die” where he sang us through his resistance to dark winter days; reading like an entry out of his diary. As his set came to an end, he left me intrigued yet, confused by his idiosyncratic indie persona.

The energy exploded when Cavetown took the stage, opening his set with “Lemon Boy”. The crowd automatically began swaying and singing aloud as the lights projected a soft yellow across the venue. Cavetown played an assortment of songs, ranging from his first album, Lemon Boy (2018) and other hit EPs like Dear (2018).  It’s been over a year since he has released anything, but Cavetown finally broke his silence on November 1st with a single, “Things That Make It Warm.” The acoustic song holds a sweet, calming sound. Cavetown doesn’t seem to fall into a certain genre of any kind, however, he does boast a very recognizable quirky sound throughout his discography.

Cavetown played two new songs; the first “Snail,” filled with howling synths that break through the blue-grass, soft-alternative background. The second, “Empty Bed”, addressed his internal battle of overcoming mental illness at a young age.

Following the performance of these two songs, Skinner announced that he has about eight new songs that will be released soon, perhaps hinting at a new album. At only 20 years old, Robin Skinner independently produces professional sounding albums, however, his naive lyrics often lend his music a homey feel. It will be interesting to see how his storytelling matures in his upcoming work.

Cavetown’s childish spirit and genuine songwriting are the basis of his continuously growing fanbase. The entirety of the concert felt like a warm hug from Skinner. Through his unmatched optimism, there was no doubting a connection between his fans and him. Cavetown’s lyrics commonly inhabit a coming-of-age story; the feelings of making sense of the world around you in a time of mere confusion. The crowd reflects this, people of all ages can relate; the youth find immediate relatability, and the all-grown-ups get to reminiscence about their adolescence.