College friends turned bandmates turned feminist icons performed last week at The Atlantis to a sold-out crowd of ravenous fans yearning for any interaction with the blossoming band. The trio performed the 18-song set with steady enthusiasm and humility while the crowd eagerly exchanged energy with them, resulting in a palpable joy for the hour-and-a-half show.

Virginia native John-Robert opened for the band on Tuesday, and as Trousdale would say, “If I’m honest,” I thought John-Robert was coming from the West Coast, specifically Portland, Oregon. His untamed hair, wide-leg pants, and authentic and spunky personality would have fooled anyone. For instance, on his Spotify “About” page, he dedicates his music to the company that makes Swedish Fish, using an opportunity to introduce himself to new listeners by showing instead of telling them about who he is–that’s sooooo Portland. Okay, moving on from my hubris of presuming my prejudgments of a person’s hometown, John-Robert is seriously one to watch. 

As he spoke to the crowd, he described his music as sad, but he delivered the news with a beaming smile that it made me look forward to being sad with him. As his longtime and budding fans in the audience watched his performance with curiosity and excitement, he remarked that “the energy in here is too positive” and “you’re having too good of a time.” His solution was to play more sad songs at which point an uproarious laughter erupted from below the stage.

In addition to his natural stage presence which he effortlessly manipulated like his vocal range and precision picking, his music is creating its own genre to live within. I would hate to be the one responsible for creating new sounds after thousands of years of music, but John-Robert takes on that task with glee and dedicated craftsmanship. Even between his songs like “WAISTBIN,” “Good Days’ll Come,” and “Road Trip,” he resembles artists like R&B crooner Daniel Caesar, folk favorite Jack Johnson, and indie icon Mac DeMarco, respectively. 

In a first for me (and probably most concertgoers), he introduced his song “Sweet Child” by asking the audience if they wanted to be silly and requested they help with the chorus, which consisted of primal grunts and deep sighs. John-Robert has tapped into the aching catharsis that is music and helps us find relief and inspiration from our depleting and often dry daily lives.

Like a swelling balloon with a POP on the other side of the last breath, the anticipation for Trousdale was growing as space to move within the dark venue was shrinking. Imagine a girl band with Cher, Dolly, and Stevie Nicks, now call them Trousdale. Bringing Josie and the Pussycat vibes to 2024, I’m so happy that they are bringing girl bands back with the Powerpuff Girl aesthetic to boot. Serendipitously scheduled for Pride month in DC, a diverse group of fans including the LGBTQIA community, allies, and music lovers filled the Atlantis. Comprised of Lauren Jones, Georgia Greene, and Quinn D’Andrea, Trousdale is blazing a trail in the music industry for female artists to thrive. With an emphasis on producing their own music, a role that many young women get passed over for in the industry, they know what they want and are headed there at 100 miles an hour. 

Like any craft, witnessing the execution elevates how you engage with the content, so it’s no surprise that watching the young women harmonize and stretch their vocal ranges in real time was its own experience. Masterfully singing with, instead of over, each other was like watching a chef fluidly wield their blade or a pair of tanned, callused hands whittle cedar from a rocking chair. There was a magic and ease to how three became one. In a similar vein, their limited-edition tri-colored vinyl of Out of My Mind is emblematic of their individual unity.

Their vocal blend is only a portion of why this LA-based band is catching fire faster than Cal-Fire could ever hope to extinguish it. Their debut LP sounds like a mature iteration of decades of honing and experimenting, yet they are a band of 25-year-olds making music together for six years. A mix between raw talent and sincere compassion for their fans, Trousdale is one of those bands bringing purpose back to music. They are open and honest about not only their struggles as young adults, and women, in today’s world, especially the music industry. They don’t just play music, they live it. For example, their track from 2023 debut LP Out of My Mind, “If You’re Hurting,” was co-written by Jones, who recently grappled with depression, and she told the audience how she thought she would never be happy again - a feeling we have surely all felt at one time or another and perhaps likely more than just once. Appreciated and felt deeply by the audience, the song was illuminated further by the glow of the cell phone lights. They make music for their fans spanning the full spectrum of human emotions, including pausing and taking a breath with their 2021 single “This Is It” during which they immediately instruct listeners, “Right now in the crowd/Take a second, feel your breathing/Put those shoulders down.” Trousdale doesn’t only have a finger on the pulse of the issues of today, they are the heartbeat of a generation.

Succeeding in elevating people’s spirits, fans and friends were dancing in circles as wide as their smiles. If you’ve been blue, go to a Trousdale show. You’ll leave as bright as the light they bring to every performance. Even off stage, they bring a youthful excitement and hopefulness to their lives (I know this because I got lost watching their Instagram stories, which is even more of a feat since I don’t even have an IG.) Trousdale are like sprinkles: from their brightly colored outfits to the sheer joy just saying their name brings to your face knowing what you’re in store for.