The Backseat Lovers took time during their 2025 tour to perform at the University of New Hampshire in an event organized by the Student Committee on Popular Entertainment (SCOPE).
Admission was open to both UNH students and the general public. The event was held in a parking lot on campus and featured a number of vendors in addition to the highly anticipated live music.
Concertgoers perused a maze of vintage vendors and could indulge in the food trucks on site. Some of the most popular among those in attendance were Ben and Jerry’s and Cheese Louise.
The line to get into the event was so long it extended down the road and towards one of the athletic fields. When gates opened the line trickled in for a long time due to bag checks and other security precautions.
With a runtime of just an hour and a half, The Backseat Lovers didn’t have enough time to play their full set list from their 2025 tour, but they did play some fan favorites.
They opened with an instrumental intro, which built up suspense for what song they were going to play first. The lucky winner was their second most streamed song on Spotify, “Poolhouse.”
Though the live performance lacked the iconic playful intro, the band made up for it with the rest of the night. They kept the suspense up in between songs by playing riffs before the iconic chords of the next song.
One thing that was emphasized at UNH was the humble nature of the band. Lead singer, Joshua Harmon, frequently expressed his gratitude, thanking the crowd after nearly every song.
He also mentioned that he was losing his voice and hoped the crowd would bear with him. Evidently, no one would have noticed if he hadn’t said anything.
Every live performance of the songs did the studio versions justice. The vocals, guitars and drums were all on point. The night included a mix of their older songs as well as some from their 2022 album, “Waiting to Spill.”
The crowd got the loudest when the band played their hit song, “Kilby Girl” from their 2019 album, “When We Were Friends.” It was no surprise the whole crowd was singing along.
Some of the other fan-favorites that were played were “Maple Syrup,” “Close Your Eyes,” “Snowbank Blues,” “Heavy” and “Growing/Dying.” The Utah native band even played two new unreleased songs. They closed the show with “Still a Friend,” before being enticed back on stage by the crowd chanting “One more song!”
For the final song of the night, they performed “Sinking Ship,” and dedicated it to their tour crew members.
“This song tonight, we’d like to dedicate to all of our crew that has worked so hard this entire tour. Give it up for them please,” said Harmon.
During the concert, Harmon also mentioned that the band was planning on taking a brief intermission from the tour to visit friends and family, and they were glad to finish the first stretch of the tour at UNH.
“It was a lot of fun! The Backseat Lovers always play great music, and the vintage shops and food trucks just added to a great environment,” said a UNH student who wishes to remain anonymous.
Those feeling FOMO can visit The Backseat Lover’s profile on streaming platforms and find a complete playlist of their songs, including recorded live performances.
