Last night was a magical evening in the heart of the East Village, as the talented Antwaun Stanley graced the stage at the renowned Mercury Lounge. Known for his dynamic collaborations with the likes of Cory Wong and Vulfpeck, Stanley showcased his extraordinary talent through an intimate and captivating solo performance. The air was filled with anticipation as the audience eagerly awaited the enchanting melodies of his original songs. It was a night of pure musical brilliance, leaving the crowd in awe of Stanley’s exceptional artistry. This was one of his first solo shows, accompanied only by Jon Notar on keys.
Stanley admitted to feeling vulnerable without his usual buddies on stage. To resolve this, he started calling out his musician friends whom he thought were in attendance and pulled some of them up on stage to join him for a song. The first person he pulled up was his old bandmate from Groovespoon, a band he was a part of back in his University of Michigan days. Hannah Winkler happily joined him on stage to help sing one of their old songs that he admittedly “Changed the words to since they last sung it.” but he assured her, “The chorus is the same.” They happily performed the song together flawlessly.
Continuing to pay homage to his fellow NYC-based musicians, Stanley asked if Sammy Rae was in attendance and encouraged her to come up and help him with a song. Towards the end of the song, Stanley was interacting with members of the audience, encouraging them to sing parts of the chorus. When he reached the third audience member, the individual did an amazing run, and Antwaun immediately pulled him on stage as well to showcase his vocal skills. I found out later his name is Desmond Roberts and he is also a musician. (check them out on Instagram)
Antwaun Stanley brought his unique style and undeniable charisma to the stage at the Mercury Lounge and left everyone wanting more. Check him out tonight at the Mushroom Palace in Saugerties, NY and in November when he will be performing with Vulfpeck in Brooklyn, NY.
