Norah Jerinic-Brodeur
Aug 18, 2026
Nautics brought a taste of New York’s indie-rock scene to the Nile Underground with unreleased songs, sharp chemistry, and enough energy to win over a room of new fans.
There’s something underrated, but rather special, about pulling up to a concert specifically for the opening band. This past Saturday (8/15/26) I had the pleasure of experiencing NYC indie-rock band Nautics’ live energy. Not only that, but I was able to connect with Kenzo, Van, Kitt, and Levitt in real life following our recent virtual interview.
Unsurprisingly, Nautics’ in-person energy was uplifting and infectious. As a live music lover, I always appreciate when bands have a type of live energy that matches their dynamic highlighted on recorded tracks. The boys did a great job of hyping the crowd up for the headliner, Dogma Society.
Their setlist was diverse, featuring a mixture of already released singles and unreleased tracks from their debut album, People Only Like Me When I’m Leaving. I was so stoked to have the opportunity to hear a handful of the new unreleased tracks live, especially after taking a listen to the record as a whole prior to the show.
Quick plug; People Only Like Me When I’m Leaving officially drops on September 25th. Do yourself a favor and go pre-save the album on any streaming platform of your choice. I mean it when I say Nautics have really done their big one with these songs.
Not only was I able to enjoy a night of live music and make some new homies, but I had the opportunity to introduce two of my closest friends to the local indie-rock scene. An intimate venue such as the Nile Underground is one of the best ways to become immersed within the scene’s community. It’s safe to say that they are now officially Nautics fans.
During their set, I genuinely forgot that I was in Mesa, Arizona. Between Nautics’ energetic stage presence, strong band chemistry, evident passion for music, and engagement with the local music community, I was transported right back to the intimate venues in New York during my side quests there this summer.
The “New York energy” people always talk about is very much real and let me tell you, Nautics have got it. Not only are Kenzo, Van, Kitt, and Levitt all certified New Yorkers, but the way in which they carry themselves both as individuals and as a band seem to represent those values that are present within the indie-rock community in New York.
Nautics are continuing on their Southwest tour with Dogma Society as we speak, with just a couple of gigs left in California; Santa Ana and San Francisco to be specific. If you happen to be in California this week, you won't want to miss your chance to catch a show.
Go dance, sing, mosh, and meet some super cool and genuine people while you’re at it. I speak for all of us indie-rock fans on the West Coast when I say that we will be over here crossing our fingers, hoping that Nautics bring their next tour back to Phoenix.
