Staff Editor on October 4th, 2021

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In front of a sold-out and captivated audience, Lexi Vega and her band Mini Trees celebrated her “Always in Motion” album release last Thursday night at the Moroccan Lounge. The set started out with the ethereal and finely crafted sounds of “Moments in Between.” The band then launched into the blood pumping “Carrying On,” which was punctuated by Vega’s enthusiastic comment that “rocking out is new to me, but I love it.”

The stage was decorated in natural foliage, giving the look of a mini forest. It was the perfect backdrop to explore the deeper meanings of songs such as “Spring,” with tender lyrics, “Curled up in the back seat / I can read you like scenery as if I know you still.”

To bring a sense of amusement to the night, a poster of Nicolas Cage and John Travolta was also brought out on stage, salvaged from the fate of the garbage collector.

An apology was made for not having a proper encore, so the crowd was encouraged to consider “Otherwise” as such. They played along, chanting, “One more song! One more song!” as the first notes of the song began before soon demanding a real encore. In return, after the rest of the band headed offstage, Vega strummed solo through “Steady Me.” She warned the audience that she was unsure of the lyrics, so all sang along for the assist.

“Good evening, say it back,” said A.O. Gerber, who opened up the night with a touch of Irish influence that gradually grew to a crescendo peak. It was a good representation of her set, which shifted from singer-songwriter fare to rocker to smooth jazz. No matter the genre, her vocals shined. Her final song, “Tell Me,” was dedicated to Mini Trees’ Vega: “This song mentions David Bowie, and Lexi has a dog named Bowie.”

Mini Trees setlist: Moments in Between, Carrying On, Cracks in the Pavement, Want Me To Stay, Slip Away, Spring, Doomsday, Otherwise. Encore: Steady Me.

Photos and recap by Notes From Vivace