Hojoko, the Fenway lounge of kitsch and cocktails, hosted a blissful Tuesday night (August 7) set from Haybaby. The space was a unique fit with dumpling steam swirling and waiters bumping past fans striving to get lost in the sludge pop of the Brooklyn/Virginia trio. Playing to a mix of exuberant fans and bar drinker’s backs, the tunes pushed and pulled dynamically through the tiki decor. Playing from their 2015 Tiny Engines debut Sleepy Kids, vocalist/guitarist Leslie Hong howled wry analytical lyrics like “I’m uncomfortable with the length of your hair down there,” via Haybaby standout track “Pizza Party.” Heavier tracks from their 2016 follow-up EP Blood Harvest ostracized imbibers pretending there wasn’t live music behind them, and Jeremy Duvall boosted this by exploding on drums to berate the bridge sections. The best surprise of the night was new material. Chatting with Hong and bass player Sam Yield afterward, they were happy to share that a new release is in the works. New songs from an incredible band is always welcome news. Diners may not have fully realized it, but that was the real dessert of the night. — Scott Murry.
