Review written by Rubén García Torras.
Last Wednesday, Sala Upload in Barcelona hosted not just a concert, but a masterclass in how charisma, humour and authenticity can transform any night into a memorable one. Adam Green, one of the essential names in the New York underground scene at the beginning of the century, showed that the anti-folk spirit that defined an era is still alive and well..
To understand the importance of Adam Green, we must go back to the late 1990s when he and Kimya Dawson formed the band The Moldy Peaches in Manhattan’s Lower East Side neighbourhood. At that time, New York was experiencing an unprecedented musical renaissance. While bands such as The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Interpol were shaking up the indie rock scene in venues like the Mercury Lounge, Green and Dawson were spearheading the anti-folk movement at the legendary Sidewalk Café. They shared the stage with artists like Regina Spektor and Jeffrey Lewis, as well as other misfits who rejected the polished mainstream sound. The chaotic and fascinating scene was skilfully captured in the 2022 documentary Meet Me in the Bathroom, in which Green recounts how New York appeared to have lost its magic before a whole generation revived it.
Adam Green, Sala Upload Barcelona 2026 – Photo taken by Meritxell Rosell for Indieófilo©
And some of that magic landed at Upload last Wednesday. From the moment Green stepped onto the stage with his unmistakable sailor’s tan and crooked smile, which defused any attempt at seriousness, the audience enjoyed the company of someone special. Green is like one of those free-spirited, slightly bohemian friends who you only see every now and again. It only takes a minute and a couple of glances, though, to realise that nothing has changed, and that their wit and charm are still very much intact. His conscious, deliberate clumsiness — the perfect balance of professionalism and improvisation — made every song a celebration. During the intervals between songs, his unfiltered chatter took us from supposed advertisements for Estrella Galicia to him praising Vichy Catalán as one of his sources of energy. He delivered all of this with the absurd and genuine humour that characterises him.
The set list took us on a journey through his entire solo career, with particular focus on Friends of Mine (2003), his most iconic album, which established him as more than just ‘the guy from The Moldy Peaches‘. Songs such as ‘Jessica’, ‘Carolina’ and ‘Friends of Mine’ sounded fresh and exciting, confirming that Green has built a solid, timeless catalogue. However, if there was one moment that brought the house down, it was when he opened with a cover of The Moldy Peaches’ ‘Downloading Porn‘, ending with him literally throwing himself into the audience in an unexpected stage dive. The crowd welcomed him with open arms, showing the same devotion that one would show to an old friend.
The night reached its peak with Green’s bold and theatrical performance of ‘Drugs‘, in which he displayed all his theatricality and pent-up energy. And the finale was spectacular: a joyful invasion of the stage during ‘Dance with Me‘, with the audience literally dancing with Adam and embracing him in energetic, spontaneous hugs. Seeing the fans surrounding Green, all jumping and laughing in unison, confirmed that his music is not just something to listen to, but something to experience.
We left the Upload show feeling that Adam Green is still the kind of artist who can turn any performance into an intimate yet explosive experience. He’s a guy who has never pretended to be anything other than what he is: a strange, charming and utterly unique storyteller.
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