Camille Schmidt, Wilby, and Bones Forever present indie sounds on New York City rooftop
NEW YORK – Amidst the countless bustling bars and stadiums in the Big Apple, the Sultan Rooftop hosts shows with a unique setting. On September 2, Camille Schmidt was supported by indie rock acts Bones Forever and Wilby on this Brooklyn rooftop with an attentive audience that left wanting more.
Filing onto the stage first was Bones Forever, a slowcore ensemble led by Ben Weinman on vocals and guitar. He was joined by Charlotte Weinman on synth and vocals, Dean Gordon on tenor saxophone, Ben Mizrach on alto saxophone, Casey Ha on bass, Brian Sellers on guitar, and Marshall Ghalioungui on drums. The range of talent exhibited throughout the set was incredible, and the saxophones provided a unique sound adding to the fullness of the performance.
They played unreleased songs as well as tracks from the band’s self-titled debut album released this year, including Dig A Hole, The Land That’s Always There, and My New House—featuring beautiful finger-picking by Ben—which then seamlessly transitioned into Collide, a cinematic finale with piercing harmonies by the Weinmans.
Up next was Wilby, fronted by lead vocalist and guitarist Maria Crawford. Alongside her were Ellington Peet on drums, Simeon Church on bass, and Annie Taylor Sloan on guitar. They began with Pleaser, also the hard-hitting opener from Wilby’s 2025 album titled Center of Affection. The crowd was on their feet immediately, almost as if they were taken by surprise when Wilby hit their first few strums.
Continuing with more from that record, they played high energy tracks such as Protection and I DON’T, along with some more easy-going ones such as Spin, Too Late to Save, and the titular song of the album. About halfway through, the band presented their single from this year, Real Truth, an introspective and raw tune about wearing one’s heart on their sleeve. Fans were immersed in the music from start to finish, with the band jumping along to the beat drops while matching the sound intensity each time.
Headlining the rooftop that night was Camille Schmidt, an indie act joined by Ian Michael as lead guitarist, Bernardo Ochoa as rhythm guitarist, Micah Prussack as bassist, and Pele Greenberg as drummer. Schmidt opened with a set of acapella vocals, almost like spoken word poetry, as part of an unreleased number, Driving Lessons, which transitioned into Fish Pills. After captivating the crowd with that hypnotizing introduction, the band delivered more tracks from her 2025 album Nude #9, such as Stanley, Cult in Denver, and Blood Love & Blessings.
Schmidt shared that her music includes an aspect she holds near and dear—wordplay. While some may think it’s cheesy or obsolete, it feels very central to her identity; listeners showed their full support and encouraged her during this statement. As the show reached its grand finale, Schmidt brought a member of the audience to help perform the final song; she instructed the volunteer to stand on stage and press a button at her cue. The band played XOXO, and the button distorted Schmidt’s voice for an autotune-like and robotic feel to this closer. It was the perfect end for the show, with much of the room singing, clapping, and dancing along.
Thanks to this collection of artists, the Sultan Rooftop brought a little extra sparkle to the dull weather New York City exhibited that night. From the stunning harmonizing by Bones Forever, to the emotional vocal cries by Wilby, to the eccentric and whispery vocals by Schmidt, it was a magnificent Wednesday night for indie fanatics in Brooklyn.
