Live Review: Rostam at Webster Hall NYC June 18

Rostam at Webster Hall June 18 live review by Conor Rooney for Northern Transmissions with photography by Bobby Nicolas Ⅲ

Rostam at Webster Hall June 18 photograph Bobby Nicholas Ⅲ

Doused in a thin film of Americana and brimming with warm, ever-shifting waves of joy, singer-songwriter and alt-pop producer Rostam’s homecoming show at New York City’s Webster Hall felt equal parts intimate and rollicking. His newest solo record, American Stories, is a dazzling exploration of traditional American music filtered through Persian folk instrumentation, resulting in a vibrant and expansive collection of songs. Onstage, that vision translated beautifully.

Rostam emerged to a swell of applause before launching into “Like a Spark.” It’s a fitting opener, both for the album and the show. Beneath its shimmering folk arrangement, a frenetic saz solo cuts through the song with striking clarity. Much of the set followed a similar pattern. The densely layered, maximalist arrangements of songs from American Stories and across Rostam’s catalog unfolded organically, revealing new details to an audience hanging on every note.

“Different Light” drifted forward on softly plucked guitar, while a moody rendition of “Young Lions” nodded to his Vampire Weekend years. Elsewhere, the semi-baroque orchestral swirl of “Hardy” burst into full color. The Rostam onstage felt like a fully realized version of the artist, one celebrating a body of work that continually rewards closer listening, revealing more of itself with every return.