The Blaupunk Lounge Debuts with a Night of Singer-Songwriter Bliss
SU’s own Bella Ierano, Katie Lee, and CC Cosenza groove effortlessly through a blend of original and covered material.
Words by Jaymee Hinz / Graphic By Michael Loya
When I initially got the green light to cover the debut show of the brand-new local venue The Blaupunk Lounge, I sure as hell was not expecting the night that would unfold.
Located across the graveyard on Comstock Avenue, the house itself was quite the gaudy spectacle, and I do mean that positively. Blaupunk looks like it was transported directly from the groovier side of the ‘70s, with vintage German record players (from which the venue received its name), freshly installed carpeting, and a piano in desperate need of refurbishment comprising the mise-en-scene. The kitschy (again, complimentary) atmosphere added to a vibe that was surprisingly quaint, casual, and communal, as the artists would take time to explain and joke about their material, pausing to laugh anytime someone would accidentally interrupt the performance.
Kicking off the night was Bella Ierano, accompanied by instrumentalist Liam Nolan. Despite the set relying predominantly on guitar and Ierano’s vocals, I was impressed with how consistently engaging the performance was throughout, even though most of the original compositions contained greater instrumental accompaniment. This can be best demonstrated with the first two original tracks of her set: “Chasing You” and “Good Together,” both found on her 2023 EP, “Better Than This.” The former of these songs is an upbeat, poppy number carried by some bright percussion fills and interplay between the guitar and bass (which was all impressively engineered), whereas “Good Together” plays on a strong contrast between the spare guitar of the verses and the explosive, borderline-alt-rock chorus. Within both of these cuts, there are strong tempo shifts that come with an introduction or removal of instrumental elements, but when limited to a live setting with only a guitar, this contrast has to come in the accentuation of negative space and Ierano’s vocals.
I was impressed by Ierano’s performance across numerous styles and ranges, like her belting on originals “Naivety” and “For You,” her warmth when performing Fleetwood Mac’s “Rhiannon” and Lana Del Rey’s “Let The Light In,” and especially her swaggering presence for Amy Winehouse’s “Tears Dry On Their Own.” Her performance of “Good Together” evoked Katie Pruitt’s excellent 2024 album, “Mantras.” The relatively slow pace allowed greater focus to be placed on Ierano’s songwriting, which is potent and emotive. I have to give my flowers to Liam Nolan for cultivating a vibe that is unique from the studio recordings but still absolutely fits the lyrics, giving more subtlety to the songs’ emotions. Overall, this was a fantastic start to the night.
The next vocalist was Katie Lee, accompanied by Jake Rubman predominantly on keys. As mentioned above, the Blaupunk Lounge has a rustic piano in the middle of the living room, so I expected it to be utilized during the evening. Unfortunately, venue host Mitch Weisz made it clear that the piano was in desperate need of refurbishment, so a keyboard was placed atop the closed piano cover, creating quite a comical visual. Regardless, the sound quality was still impressive and Rubman’s work was enjoyable. The set offered several moments for Rubman to shine, like on the outro of their cover of Lizzy McAlpine’s “Soccer Practice,” and the closer, “Seasons.”
The choice of covers was on point throughout the night, with Lee opening with a rendition of Mk.gee’s “Candy” before a transition into Radiohead’s “No Surprises” that felt so natural that I started searching for a Thom Yorke piano rendition because the performance convinced me it existed. Make no mistake, the original tracks were also terrific, with cuts like “Passenger Seat,” “Acquired Taste,” and “Cliche” allowing Katie to showcase her seamless ability to project overwhelming emotions. “Cliche” was my personal favorite for its writing and performance, centered around seeing a male friend drift away from you when their romantic feelings aren’t reciprocated. The track reminded me of the strident Gen Z ballads you’d get from Olivia Rodrigo or Tate McRae, but with a greater sense of emotional maturity in the writing that skirts away from the occasionally cringe, childish melodrama and hits for a broader emotional catharsis. With her final track “Seasons” and its ending reprise, Lee mentioned wanting to include this track on an EP or full-length album if she ever got around to creating one, and after her performance, I can only hope that she does.
The final act of the night was CC Cosenza, flanked by Spencer Swafford on guitar. By this point, I was so enraptured in the vibe cultivated that my critical faculties were being short-circuited, but most of that was by way of Cosenza’s extremely enjoyable indie folk. Besides the obvious choice to close with Lizzy McAlpine’s “all my ghosts” (I guess McAlpine covers seem to be a guarantee when it comes to singer-songwriter sets), Cosenza slotted in a cover of Little Big Town’s classic “Girl Crush,” a song that plays better in a more intimate space than as an inescapable country radio staple. Cosenza’s set contained a palpable country essence, although this is not an explicit reference to her choice of songs. I mean this more in regards to the windswept guitar timbre and Cosenza’s impeccable job of maintaining that reserved, understated counter-presence that is often effective in country spaces. She did mix in some of the more typically modern indie folk with opener “Little Ways” and “July,” which were equally blissful and endearing. The set capped off what was a wonderfully chill and reflective evening of singer-songwriter magic.
Through the Blaupunk Lounge, host Mitch Weisz wanted to give artists a respectful and enjoyable place to showcase their talents and for Syracuse at large to appreciate local artists without some of the larger distractions of more party-like venues. After experiencing this debut night in all its glory, with three student acts expertly playing a considerable amount of original material, I see that goal being achieved in the very near future.