On a warm spring evening in downtown Phoenix, the air outside Crescent Ballroom shimmered with anticipation. Inside, the crowd packed the venue for a night on the “Like Magick Tour,” a blending showcase headlined by the ever-evolving L.S. Dune with support from tourmates, From Indian Lakes, and Plague Vendor.

The date was May 11th. As the lights dimmed and the stage lights glowed, Joey Vannucchi, the creative force behind From Indian Lakes, stepped into the spotlight alongside bandmates Justin, Jon, and Christian. The room, buzzing with fans of all ages, erupted in applause. From the very first notes of “Water,” a standout track from their new album, the tone was set: deeply melodic and swirled in a dreamy, shoegaze-inspired haze.

One highlight of the night came with “Breaking My Bones,” a personal favorite, where the band’s dynamic chemistry was on full display. But the true emotional apex arrived during “Dissonance,” when the crowd joined Joey in a singalong, the room echoing.

Between songs, Joey offered quiet thanks and the occasional joke, his humble, soft-spoken stage presence endearing him even further to longtime fans. As I’ve written before, Joey is a man of few words on stage, but that restraint only amplifies the emotional weight he pours into every lyric. His voice, layered with vulnerability and soul, has a way of reaching directly into the listener’s chest.

The rest of the band matched that emotional depth with an intense but understated energy. Each member fully locked into the moment, their playing tight yet effortlessly fluid. Even when the music swelled into its heavier, more shoegaze-inspired moments, the emotional resonance never got lost in the haze. Instead, it expanded and filled every corner of the venue with feeling.

From Indian Lakes’ being one of my favorite bands will never fail to impress me live.