Australian band, Vacations, has finally made it to the U.S. for their highly anticipated  tour across the country. The band kicked off their tour on March 2 in Los Angeles, California and will end up in Phoenix, Arizona by mid-April. This is the band’s first ever U.S. headlining tour and first one back since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

They made their way to Elsewhere in Brooklyn, New York on March 27, joined by the dreampop band, Dreamgirl.

The venue filled up quickly with young New Yorkers ready to dance the night away. Many ran towards the stage to secure the best spot, while others made their way to the bar to grab a drink.

As Dreamgirl took to the stage, a mix of ambient, gentle guitar riffs and lead singer Lacey Hopkins’ alluring, angelic voice filled the room and left the crowd mesmerized.

They performed some of their well-known hits like “Pretty Sexual” and “All U Wanna Do Is Dance” while the crowd sang and danced along.

The Kansas City band built a following after the release of the EP “Illuminaughty” back in 2015. Since then, they’ve released their eponymous album and numerous singles such as “Sometimes” and “Poolside.”

The crowd swayed back and forth, some even holding each other during fan-favorite, “Teenage Blue.”

Hopkins’ powerful vocals left the crowd entranced as she ended the set holding an impressive sustained note.

Then, it was time for Vacations to take the stage. The lights dimmed and the theme song from the game “Halo” started to play.

The crowd roared as the band emerged from the darkness onto the dimly lit stage. Their entrance was dramatic and sent chills down my spine.

Their set began with the song “Moving Out” and the crowd came alive, jumping and pushing forward to get as close as possible to the band.

Each song transitioned seamlessly into the next. They played songs such as “Lavender” and

“Avalanche” off of their newest record, “Forever in Bloom.” They also played songs like “Honey” and “Steady,” off of their record, “Changes.”

Vacations had every single person in the room dancing, whether they were up at the front or at the very back.

The crowd went wild during the breakdown in “Time Crisis.” Every fan found themselves jumping along to the song.

In between every couple of songs, the band cracked jokes with the audience. They went on to describe their experience being in New York and how ecstatic they were to finally be touring the U.S.

One of the highlights of the show took place during the song “Telephones,” when lead singer Campbell Burns had all the lights in the venue turned off, only lit by phone flashlights from the crowd.

This made for an incredibly intimate 3 1/2 minutes between the band and the crowd.

With the release of “Forever in Bloom” during the height of the pandemic, Vacations had gained a significant number of new fans. As their fan base grew, so did the demand for live performances.

With the sudden growth of their band in mind, they announced their 2022 U.S. tour in September of last year.

Vacations ended their set with the songs “Days” and “Relax.” Right before the last song, Burns took a photo with the crowd for their tour diary and to post on Instagram.

Each member of the band was smiling ear-to-ear as the crowd went wild, ending the night with high energy.

The band thanked the audience for an amazing night and promised to be back soon.

Both Vacations and Dreamgirl put on an unforgettable show. They provided a fun and inviting atmosphere and I’m glad I got to experience it.

Vacations’ first time headlining a show in New York City was an absolute success. I’m certain this is just the beginning for them in the U.S.