LIVE REVIEW: Flight Attendant in Cambridge, MA (08.10.25)
Blue lights flickered over the band as whirling synths built into a drone. The sound was atmospheric and evocative of something extraterrestrial, permeating into the walls of Sonia and transforming the room into an instrument in its own right.
Cambridge’s Sonia was the last official stop on Flight Attendant’s summer tour this past Saturday. The Nashville-based band released their sophomore album, “Under the Powerlines,” at the end of 2024, following the 2022 release of their self-titled debut album. The indie-pop hooks and dramatic melodies of “Under the Powerlines” would be the focal point of the set, elevated by the band’s fiery stage presence.
Lead vocalist Karalyne Winegarner stood at the center of the stage, bejeweled red platform heels visible behind her keyboard. To complement this look, she wore a red corset and what I thought at first were long red gloves, before I realized she had dyed her arms the color. (“My demon hands are getting all over everything,” she would joke in exaggerated autotune later in the set). Surrounding her, the rest of the band – consisting of Nikki Christie on the viola, Vinnie Maniscalco on guitar, Peyton Rodeffer on the bass, and Derek Sprague on the drums – all sported signature looks as well. Together, their aesthetic was eclectic but unquestionably unified in a celebration of individuality within collaboration.
The band opened with “Cotton Candy,” springing out of the gate with upbeat energy and a danceable guitar melody. Winegarner’s vocals pierced through the rich instrumental wall of sound, emerging from behind her keyboard with conviction. The tonal shift from the song’s surreal, eerie intro to the bright pop of its chorus gave the audience our first taste of the dynamic and emotional rollercoaster to come.
Subsequently, “Dreamland” supercharged this momentum with a swirling rock intro that surrendered to a gothic haze. Winegarner prowled the stage with magnetic confidence that was equally playful and intense. The band’s passionate performance matched her energy. Maniscalco leapt across the stage as Christie’s viola crescendoed, both of them lost in the music. As the chorus climaxed in a hypnotic repetition of “sleep, sleep, sleep,” Winegarner pointed at the audience, and it felt more like she was casting a spell than merely singing lyrics. But if they weren’t already, at this point, the audience was surely awake. Spell or no spell, we were listening intently.
The two most emotionally striking performances of the night were “KC Hot Mess” and “Second Chances.” Winegarner introduced the former with dry midwestern humor, saying, “Last night I learned that New England is more than just Massachusetts.” She laughed. “I’m from Kansas, guys.” A moving keyboard intro followed this revelation, paving the way for the song’s softer band presence and reflective lyrics. As she sang the line, “I’m a Kansas City twister baby, maybe you’re what’s different,” Christie’s viola melodies echoed the vulnerability of her vocal performance, doubling the emotional weight. Maniscalco picked up the harmonica for a melancholic outro tinged with a nostalgic, folk sound that mirrored the lyrics’ sentiment.
“Second Chances” came with a sobering preface from Winegarner: “This next song is about my dead dad. He’s not dead yet, he just has dementia.” For a song about the uncertainties of death, it was surprisingly upbeat, surging with pop-rock percussion and electric guitar wails. This was a standout vocal performance for Winegarner. “I’ll carry my burden along with my name,” she belted out with grit. Her voice broke, but with control, on the phrase “second chances,” as the manic energy of the chorus diminished back into subdued verse, emotion regressing to a volatile simmer. This tension kept the audience on the edge of our seats.
Throughout the set, the band’s chemistry was undeniable. Each member’s unique musicality and ability were apparent, but the x-factor of the performance was their ability to operate as a single entity, communicating through music. The intimacy of the group shone through and gave way to a synergetic presence: the way they would turn to face each other during particularly climactic moments, Winegarner leaning on Christie in the outro of “1987 Prom Queen,” pouring beer on Maniscalco’s face after a cover of “Oysters in my Pocket.” It was a fun dynamic to watch, and further, I felt that it allowed them to perform with a high level of openness and expressiveness, in addition to skill.
Winegarner’s interactions with the audience expanded upon that intimacy. “Do you guys wanna get lei’d?” she joked as she descended into the crowd to hand out multicolored leis before “Island in the Sky.” During the encore song, “Crybaby,” she jumped down from her perch, standing atop her keyboard, to join in with the audience’s fervid dancing, helping one particularly enthusiastic fan crowdsurf. Her eyes were wide and her face grinning as she flipped her dark curls with the audience, ending the show with communal chaos and joy.
In their performance at The Sonia, Flight Attendant built a musical world that, for an hour and a half, the audience could experience alongside them. Through their collective musicianship, versatile sound, and powerful vulnerability, they affirmed themselves as a distinctive sonic and energetic force worth keeping an eye on.
Featured image by: Patterson Settles
