From the delicate rhythms and hollow tones, to the swaying of Joey Vannucchi’s long hair, From Indian Lakes put the Marquis Theatre into a trance. On the night of Sept. 4, the indie-rock band came to Denver and delivered a somber, autumnal set. A modest, primarily young crowd who smelled of cigarette smoke and malaise trickled into the dim theatre and waited for the show to start. The first opening act was Wild Wild Horses, an alternative band from London. The lead singer, Jack Edwards, began their lively set by captivating the audience with the depth and resonance of his voice through an acapella verse of their song “Youth”. They were followed by Made Violent, a nostalgic punk band from Buffalo, New York, whose sound is fully encapsulated by their name. Each band member had rampant shoulder length hair which whorled around their heads uncontrollably as they made a lovely ruckus.    

From Indian Lakes was started by California native, Joey Vannucchi. Growing up on a forty acre farm in Yosemite, Vanucchi’s home was without electricity for several years, during which he acquired his adoration for language and music. He began with the drums, but was soon proficient in many instruments. The band was originally an independent project through which Vannucchi displayed his wide range of instrumental brilliance, his cherubic voice and his poetic lyrics.

In 2009, after recruiting musicians to join his project so that he could begin playing for audiences, From Indian Lakes released their first album, “The Man with Wooden Legs”, which has a strong post-rock essence as opposed to the following albums which fit more easily into the alternative niche, reminiscent of Bombay Bicycle Club.

At the Marquis, the band opened with “Sleeping Limbs,” from their 2014 album “Absent Sounds.” The stage was flooded in green light as they fell into their performance. The small crowd sang along earnestly, crowding tightly around Vanucchi’s feet. The band’s music blends fragile harmonies with an authentic indie-rock sound. Each song pulled the room further into this languid and weightless world. The set featured a few new songs from “Everything Feels Better Now,” which comes out this month. “The Monster,” a dizzying song from the new album, elicited a delighted cheer from the tranquil mass.   

Vannucchi’s voice is breathy and often described as “warm”. Thus, the performance he gives would best be described as soothing. The lead’s reserve is palpable and provoking. It further emphasizes the obscurity of the band’s manner.

Vannucchi rarely engages with his audience, and yet he hypnotizes his listeners with his soporific tunes until he’s staring out at a congregation of softened faces, and closed eyes, tilting from side to side. By often touring with groups such as “Made Violent” whose approach to indie-rock is more abrasive, the band exaggerates and embraces their velvety aesthetic. They lead their audience to a restful place where they can better appreciate the intricacies and the essence of a song. From the opening, the crowd revels in the opportunity for unhindered, symphonic pleasure.