GALLERY + REVIEW: Copilot - Boston, MA (9/13/25)

Sep 17

Copilot (w/ Hill House & Preston Lydotes)
Brighton Music Hall - Boston, MA - September 13th, 2025
Photos & words by Mikey Gale (@gale_pictures)

A supergroup in the music industry is when top musicians from extremely popular bands come together to create a whole new band. I would argue that Copilot is a supergroup. Six of the most talented musicians in the Boston house party scene, coming together for an impromptu performance at a house party and making a band that has since carved out a special place in the New England music scene.

Nearing the end of their summer tour, and fresh off the heels off their first appearance at Boston Calling earlier this summer, Copilot brought their “Vroom Vroom, Etc” tour to Brighton Music Hall. With a score of old fans, including some college friends, it was a special show because it brought so many new fans into the family. I even spoke to a couple fans outside in line, “We saw them at Boston Calling earlier this summer, and they just blew us away. We knew we had to see them at their own show”. The band even took the night to record parts of the show for an upcoming live EP.

Kicking off the night was an acoustic set by Preston Lydotes, a Berklee student who recently moved down to Nashville. Playing through most recent EP, “Stranger At Best”, he explored the feelings that come with being a musician, including being the best musician in your hometown, and realizing you are out of your depth the second you leave. A particular stand out of his set was “5 to 9”, a tribute to life as a struggling musician, working a normal day job to help fund your dream of music, and struggling to keep up while work can crush your spirit.

Following Preston, was Hill House, a funk-pop band out directly from Boston, with a full five piece brass section, a four piece rhythm section, and a powerhouse lead vocalist. Funky, rhythmic, and full of soul, Hill House had the crowd grooving and moving, hyping the fans up for Copilot. Just when you thought this band was going to let you go, they exploded into the funkiest cover of “Good Luck, Babe!” that had every person in the room screaming the lyrics along. And while they brought the crowd in, Copilot owned the night.

There was a buzz in the air as the lights dimmed, when suddenly “I2I” from “The Goofy Movie” blasted over the speakers prompting another impromptu crowd singalong. As the song reached its peak, the band walked out, prompting a rambunctious amount of well deserved applause.

What makes a Copilot show so unique is the fact that they have 3 vocalists who will oscillate throughout the night. Maggie Hall kicked the set off with “Like Love Again”, bringing fans in with her soulful voice that made even the most stubborn anti-dancer start tapping their feet. The band kept the show going, with the next song jumping over to Jake Machell singing “Emily”, followed up by Ry McDonald singing “Annie (Run Ride Go)”. The constant changing of vocalists kept the show feeling fresh, and made each song sink its teeth into you that much more.

The band even took time to go back to their roots, with the three founding members, Ry, Maggie, and Jake doing a special two song acoustic cover portion of the set. They performed both “Gravity” by John Mayer and “You and I” by Lady Gaga in an intimate setting, bringing the crowd down to a peaceful sway. While this was a special moment, the magic returned when the rhythm section came back to the stage. The combination of Austen Beveridge on bass, Dylan Allwine on drums, and Jack Snow on lead guitar, propel Copilot with a funky upbeat bounce that gave the show its signature retro Rock-Pop style

Copilot has always been about the family you find along the way, and this show was no different. Shouting out various people in the crowd, such as the young boy who just turned six, or when Jake called out to his wife who was seven months pregnant. They celebrated not just their own milestones, but the milestones of the people who came out there just to see them. However, the biggest highlight of this feeling of family for the night, was when they played a new song, dedicated to the late friend of the band, Jake Gregg. And while this would normally be a somber moment in a show, Copilot performed “Timeless Johnny”, a beautifully upbeat song that is a celebration of life and their dear friend.

Copilot could go on to sell out stadiums, and I think they would still never forget where they started from. They kicked off the encore, calling back to the days when they would play Loretta’s Last Call, a country bar across the street from Fenway Park in Boston. “They used to tell us that we had to play more country music, and we would say ‘No, that’s not us’ and they would go ‘That’s great and all, but you have to” and we fought back” Ry commented on stage, using this monologue to lead directly into a cover of “Rocky Racoon” by The Beatles, a song they were often known for doing a rendition of, with fans even calling for it as the band came back on stage. They closed the set with "Disappointment: In The Form Of Love”, giving everything they had left for the crowd, who shouted the chorus back at them and danced just as hard as the band did.

While Copilot has the talent and the passion for this music, the real magic of their shows comes from the energy they give to their audience, and how the fans will give it back tenfold. Their fans are just as passionate as the band, and when you are at a Copilot show, you can’t help but feel full of joy and love for everyone on that stage and for the strangers you find yourself dancing with.