Oh Wonder at House of Blues
October 11, 2017 | By Xandie Kuenning
Oh Wonder, a London-based band made up of Josephine Vander Gucht and Anthony West, returned to Boston Sept. 22 to promote their new album “Ultralife.” The show’s focus on human connections built an intimate relationship with the audience that is oftentimes hard to find with popular artists.

Photo Courtesy of Brian Bae // The Huntington News
Seattle native Jaymes Young opened the show, appearing on stage to the cheers of audience members. His fifth performance in a row, he told fans he was “feeling a bit under the weather” after having “a little too much fun the last four nights, if you know what I mean.” Unfortunately, this translated into a subdued set that did not live up to its potential. Young also seemed flippant, making comments that belittled the audience, including discouraging fans from singing along if they did not have great voices. Overall, while he showed his strengths in vocal talent, the performance as a whole was disappointing.
After a short break, flashing red lights engulfed the stage and an electronic voice spoke out as Oh Wonder took the stage for their song “High On Humans.” The band’s charming quirkiness was evident immediately as the pair moved to the beat of the music they were creating. Their energy woke up the crowd after Young’s mellow performance and was something they continued throughout the entirety of their set.
After a few opening songs, the pair remarked on the size of the crowd. When they had first heard they were booked at House of Blues, they had thought it was mistake as they could not imagine the venue sold-out. They thanked the crowd for showing their support and for making “this not awkward playing for like, six people at the front,” as Vander Gucht said.
