Johnnyswim // The Sinclair // Cambridge, MA // December 20, 2014

Love. That is my one word review of JOHNNYSWIM‘s Christmas show at The Sinclair.
Not much more needs to be said regarding the gorgeous husband-and-wife duo of Amanda Sudano Ramirez and Abner Ramirez; however, I shall elaborate. Radiant, inspiring, and downright flawless, on the final night of their holiday tour Sudano and Ramirez had the sold-out crowd in the palm of their hands through the last moment of the show. Steering us through their set – amidst glances at each other only the most amorous can imagine – of the most splendid combination of holiday and JOHNNYSWIM tunes – and JOHNNYSWIM holiday tunes – the two bantered and beamed at each other throughout; it was difficult to tell who was glowing more from the anticipated birth of their son. Playing their genre-crossing folk-pop, it’s nearly impossible to find any other artists to compare, despite being backed by a full band. JOHNNYSWIM touched on all of their releases, effortlessly performing songs such as “Diamonds,” “A Million Years,” “Take the World,” and my personal favorite “You and I,” perfectly harmonized while melting into each other. A band I, myself, discovered through the magic of a brief appearance on Linda Perry’s VH1 show “Make or Break” (and Perry’s mind-blowing ability to select hit-makers within five minutes of viewing them), JOHNNYSWIM exudes a presence of unparalleled positivity, dedicating their song “Take the World” to the couples in the audience; making it clear why they so frequently get asked to perform at weddings.
In case their words and presence weren’t inspiring enough, humanitarians Sudano and Ramirez discussed their affiliation with Food for the Hungry (http://fh.org/), an organization serving the poor globally, specializing in short-term emergency relief and long-term work to end world hunger. The band took a short fifteen-minute intermission allowing those in attendance to visit the merch booth and sponsor a child in need anywhere in the world; on top of the band’s existing donations to non-profit Visiting Orphans (http://www.visitingorphans.org/) of 100% of each sale of their song “Hallelujah.”
With an uncanny ability to draw in even the most eclectic of crowds, there is no doubt that uber-charismatic Sudano and Ramirez will be enchanting for generations to come – it makes those watching from afar anxious for their next act. Any adjective imaginable pales in comparison to the feeling of being in an intimate venue with this pair. While showing a genuine appreciation you don’t often see, JOHNNYSWIM were welcoming, warm, and truly dazzling, leaving the crowd to venture out into the chilly night, blissful and full of love.
Photos from the evening can be seen below: