Juice with Stephen Day

by Victoria Race and Hannah Ritchie

Boston-based band Juice performed their first ever show in Cleveland on Friday night at the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland. The band blends rock, r&b and hip-hop into their signature sound, which features rich harmonies and the electric violin. This past year has been significant for the band with the release of their latest project Workin’ on Lovin’ and they’re set to release a new EP this fall.

Friday’s show started off with lead singer Ben slipping off his shoes to perform barefoot. When he mentioned the floor being a bit sticky, someone responded from the crowd with “That’s Cleveland!” .

“Audrey Tell Me” is my personal favorite track from Juice and it was a very fun experience to see it performed live with such infectious energy. Some of our other favorites from Friday night included “Sugar” and “Workin’ on Lovin’.” Hannah and I both noted how the songs blended nicely but also stood apart from one another, creating a set list arrangement that truly showcased the band’s dynamics.

Christian’s violin and rap solos throughout the night excited the crowd and showed off a lot of the band’s versatility and creativity. Each member was allowed to showcase their abilities during the show and I really admired the apparent respect that they have for one another as individuals and musicians.

The whole experience was very organic and the crowd strongly responded to that, dancing and interacting with the band and each other.

The crowd was sparse but extremely friendly, which definitely made things more memorable. About half of the people attending Friday night were not aware of Juice’s music prior to the show. It was a great example of how unfamiliar music can bring together such an eclectic group of people.

Towards the end of the show, Juice extended their set for us with “Heartbreak in a Box” during which lead singer Ben decided to leap off the stage and into the crowd.

For their encore, the band incorporated the crowd, asking them to sing the chorus to “DAVE (turn the music down)” and help close out the show.

Juice is planning to release a new EP in the coming months. Keep an eye out for their next single set to be released on August 7th and be sure to check out some of their music below, including a recent music video for their single “DAVE (turn the music down).”