Before The Royale could flip into its usual late-night dance club, it played host to a cozy evening of jazz courtesy of Rachael & Vilray. Chairs filled the floor (a rarity for the venue), and for a few hours on a cold Boston night, the room felt transformed. The lighting was soft, the mood easy, and the music timeless.
Opening the evening was Nebulous Quartet, a Boston-based string ensemble joining Rachael & Vilray for this short run of shows. Their blend of classical technique (some heavy Bach Sonata arpeggiations), jazz phrasing, and soul texture set the perfect tone. It’s not every night you hear a string quartet warm up a pop venue, but it worked beautifully.
Rachael & Vilray’s chemistry is unmistakable. The two have known each other for twenty years, meeting here in Boston, but didn’t start making music together until a decade later. Rachael Price, best known as the powerhouse vocalist of Lake Street Dive, uses this project to explore an entirely different register. Her alto voice feels right at home in Vilray’s old-school jazz arrangements: smoky, witty, and full of personality. He writes the songs, but together they deliver them like a perfectly rehearsed act straight out of the golden era of jazz.
Their set featured songs that could have lived comfortably in the 1940s yet felt fresh in a 2025 nightclub. Much of it came from West of Broadway, their latest album released just last August. Though that record celebrates New York City, the night carried the unmistakable air of a hometown show. Between songs, Rachael and Vilray traded stories and laughs, their stage banter often as entertaining as the music itself. Vilray joked about finding inspiration from unlikely places, including Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, drawing big laughs from the crowd. Later, he asked Rachael, “What would you do if you woke up one morning and your husband Jim was gone, and there was a tortoise in his place? Would you keep the tortoise?” That question led into “Is It Jim?,” a delightfully absurd love song that fit the night’s playful spirit perfectly.
It wasn’t a show built on spectacle. There was no flashing light rig or crowd surfing, just a night of elegant musicianship and easy charm. Rachael’s phrasing and Vilray’s wry lyrics – and incredible guitar playing – reminded everyone why this side project has found its own devoted audience.
Follow Rachael & Vilray: Website | Instagram | TikTok | Spotify | YouTube
Leave a Reply