Let Us Sit Together and Everything will Be Just Fine.

Berkley, California. The Greek Theatre. June 24, 2017.

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds were set to play with opener Cat Power on this date. I hadn’t heard much of their discography before that night much less seen him in person. With the show starting at 8, we arrived to an amphitheater full of people who were nothing but black at 7:30pm. Little did I know the trip we were set in for. The amount of people who were there once I arrived was staggering. I had always been very fortunate as far as seating when it came to attending concerts. I was always usually at the front except for this time. My seat was quite a ways away so it would be a bit of a different experience for me.

Cat Power took her place on stage around 8:00 PM. She kept her set short and sweet with a 10 song set list. It was only her by herself and I believe she did a good job holding her own. No one seemed to be really paying attention to her performance despite the fact that she was pouring her heart into these songs. It was disheartening to watch as people were still filing in and talking during her set. Her sound didn’t help her at all with this aspect as it was so soft that she was easily drowned out. While people in front could very easily hear her, the rest of us up high in the amphitheater found it a bit more difficult to pick up her sounds. Although Cat Power’s performance could have been stellar, it fell short due to the size of the venue among other things.

By the time 8:50 rolled around everyone had taken their seats including Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds who were all looking sharp in their matching suits. Opening with the fifth track off Skeleton Tree “Anthrocene”, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds had pushed a solemn energy into the crowd whom was already being compelled to follow Nick’s every move on stage. They played an expansive set of 18 songs which lasted from 8:50 until 10:50. While Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds hold a voluminous set of albums they did well playing material from each of their works. They played nearly every song off of their newest album Skeleton Tree except for “Rings of Saturn”. Four songs into the set list had me thinking it was the end of the concert largely due to the energy that they started to omit from the stage. By the time “Jubilee Street” rolled around, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds had produced the intensity of mad men which resulted in an stimulated audience. The fact that he could go from harder songs to such heart breaking songs such as “I Need You” revealed to us his depth as not only a performer but an artist. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds weren’t just performing songs, they were performing art. Nick told a compelling story with each song while the Bad Seeds created the setting and background for the story that Cave graced us with. I have never been to another concert where Cave’s energy and control over the audience was matched. One by one, each member of the audience that was in the stands slowly made their way down into the main pit regardless of the fact that is was assigned seating. Sitting there and watching the performance compelled you to slowly make your way down there. That’s exactly what I did too. It only got better once I had made my way down into the pit for Mr. Cave’s three song encore performance. “Stagger Lee” forced my head into a flurry of ups and downs while “I Need You” compelled tears out of your eyes as you felt the heartbreak and pain that Nick Cave felt for a time. His energy was so momentous that one by one each member of the audience got on stage until there were about 25 -30 people on stage with Mr. Cave. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds took us on an emotional, cinematic journey all through the use of instruments and vocals. It was more than a concert and blew anything I had seen or heard out of the water. It was one that was over too soon and makes me eager to revisit the world of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.

Nick Cave and the Bad Seed’s Setlist

Anthrocene
Jesus Alone
Magneto
Higgs Boson Blues
From Her to Eternity
Tupelo
Jubilee Street
The Ship Song
Into My Arms
Girl in Amber
I Need You
Red Right Hand
The Mercy Seat
Distant Sky
Skeleton Tree

Encore:
The Weeping Song
Stagger Lee
Push the Sky Away

An Evening with the Trap God

Being back home after my trip to LA felt nice but now it was on to another concert. Gucci Mane was to perform at the Warfield on Monday night. I was very familiar with the Warfield but not as familiar with Gucci Mane’s work. Gucci has a career spanning 89 projects total so it was gonna be interesting seeing what he was gonna choose to play that night.

The doors were set to open at 7 with the show starting at 8 but as things usually go at the Warfield, the show didn’t start till around 8:20- 8:30 pm. Time was the least of my worries though, as the pit started to fill quickly. Before I knew the stage was started to get filled by the first act of the night which was DJ Champ. Dj Champ definitely wasn’t bad, but the crowd, including me wanted Guwop on stage. Champ definitely started to get the crowd pumping but it was still gonna take a bit more. Up next to take a jab at the crowd was Casino Mel, who fell short in my opinion. His attempts to get the crowd more pumped seemed to fall further from DJ Champs attempt. From throwing water to having everyone get their phones out, Casino Mel’s attempt to pump the crowd just wasn’t hitting the mark.

Everyone was now getting antsy as we eagerly awaited for the Trap God to take his throne. Coming all the way from Chicago was Dreezy to help get the blood pumping and let me say the crowd was definitely feeling her. Her DJ and her definitely started to get a vibe going within the venue as they both confidently played the perfect amount of about 6 or 7 songs. She brought an energetic and playful performance with her which proved to fit in with the rest of the night. A quick combo got the crowd really hyped as Playboy Carti revealed himself on the stage with a track off his new self titled album. Joining him was his friend and his mom who definitely seemed to add to the hype that was already fueling the crowd. Carti played some new and old hits playing for about a good half hour. The crowd was wildin out for Carti and I was glad he was on stage at long last. His energy seemed to be a bit more hype than Dreezy which was what the crowd needed. Playboy Carti and Dreezy both did a keep job of trying to keep up with a rapper a prolific as Gucci but the crowd inevitable wanted Guwop to take the stage.

Playboy Carti’s DJ stayed on for about 20 mins after Carti left the stage to keep the vibes in the venue up. Guwop took the stage at around 10:30 P.M. which resulted in screams and pushing in the pit as everyone grasped desperately for a touch of Guwop. He opened up his extensive setlist with Classical and continued to play what his fans wanted. He played everything from “Photoshoot” to ‘Lemonade” to “Pillz”. Gucci definitely knew what his fans wanted which was very impressive, but not surprising for such a prolific and solidified rapper as himself. What was surprising was the amount of covers he performed from “Black Beatles” by Rae Sremmurd to “Slippery” by Migos, Gucci didn’t let the heat cool. As far as theatrics go, Gucci was definitely not a theatrical performer, but I feel as though he knew he didn’t have to be. He knew his fans were there to see the legendary Guwop perform and he did exactly that strutting around in his red loafers that were worth more than two months of my rent. Only using subtle movements while performing his extensive 31 song setlist, Gucci delivered a mesmerizing and pumped performance, allowing many of his fans who had never seen him to die in peace.

Welcome to a Celestial Plane

It seems as though the LA music scene will always pull me back in. The Walt Disney Concert Hall would be welcoming Sigur Ros along with the LA Philharmonic on April 15, 2017. This being my first time seeing Sigur Ros and going to the Concert Hall, I had no idea what to expect, but I was a familiar with their post rock work. Sigur Ros used to be composed of four band members but due to a bandmate leaving there was only three now so it would be interesting to hear their sound without their past member. Originating from Reykjavík, Iceland, much of their lyrical components are produced using a combination of both the Icelandic and Hopelandic language making their lyrics incomprehensible to many. You would think this would create a barrier to people who do not speak these languages, but it creates a new sort of depth to the music that was very present in their live show.

The Walt Disney Concert Hall was one of the most spectacular venues I have visited thus far. Construction of the Hall started in 1999 with Frank Gehry helming the architectural aspects of this beautiful building. The show was to start at 8 pm sharp and there was no delay as elegantly dressed people filled their seats around 7:30 pm. While my seat was not the best I still had a nice view. Unlike most venues I’ve visited, the Walt Disney Concert Hall didn’t seem to hold a bad seat thanks to its architectural intricacies. No matter where you sat you could still have a clear vision of the artists’ performance, which made it unfortunate that no pictures or videos were allowed to be taken during performances.

The first performance of the night was the LA Philharmonic’s choir. As soon as the musicians took their place everyone in the room was silenced. Performing a striking set of 6 songs the choir put on quite the performance. The acoustics in the Hall definitely took their voices to heavenly heights. The complex layering of voices was mesmerizing as they sung not to the crowd, but to something else, something higher. Following quickly and efficiently was the their counterpart which was the symphony. Playing a compelling set of about 5 songs, the Philharmonic was worth seeing, but wasn’t what I was there for. That being said the Symphony made sure that they weren’t going to be overshadowed, after all they would be performing with Sigur Ros so they would have to match their fellow musicians.

After a brief intermission we were given what we came here for. First the symphony took the stage followed by the trio of musicians, Sigur Ros. The symphony started playing which seemed to queue Sigur Ros to take their places on the stage. The duo of groups opened with the track Á which was followed by 8 other tracks. It was interesting to see the trio accompanied by the LA Philharmonic. Although I have never seen Sigur Ros live, I feel as though the Philharmonic brought a little bit more pizzazz to the whole performance. Marking the end of the show was a final intermission. We returned to the stage set up for three people and watched as Sigur Ros began to close out the show with 6 more songs. While the Philharmonic was a nice attachment, Sigur Ros did not disappoint with their solo performance. A variety of neon lights and visual images gave the show an ethereal view. Vaka and Popplagio were two songs that really shined. Despite facing a brief mistake in song lyrics, Sigur Ros created a mythical atmosphere. Sigur Ros put on a great show and my only regret was the fact that I didn’t get to take many pictures. I don’t know if the real treat was being in the Concert Hall, seeing The LA Philharmonic, or seeing Sigur Ros. I do know that it was an otherworldly experience that you should take if you get the chance.

Nothing to Fear, Nothing to Doubt

It was rejuvenating to be back in the City of Angels, where the sun warms the golden sands of Manhattan Beach and music lovers rejoice over the many legendary shows that have been performed there. What brought me to Los Angeles from my cozy San Franciscan home? One band and one band only: Radiohead. My father purchased tickets for the two of us to see the artsy English rock stars at the Shrine Auditorium as a greatly unexpected graduation gift. Naturally, I booked one of the first flights out to L.A. For two months, I scratched the days off my calendar until the glorious August sun rose and I was ready to head off to the airport. Of course, much to my dismay, I ran into various setbacks prior to my flight, including (but not limited to) a half hour traffic delay, a rather extensive pat down from an affectionate security guard, and a massive Delta Airline power outage. I waited there at the San Francisco airport, exhausted already but nonetheless eager, until my boarding call was announced at long last. As I took my seat, I asked myself, “Will all this trouble really be worth it?”

As an aspiring music journalist, I was beyond excited to experience a Radiohead show. I had been listening to their entire discography weeks in advance to fully familiarize myself with all of their work. With albums released from the early 90s to 2016, Radiohead has been an evolving enigma.

To be completely honest, I knew almost nothing about the group until about the beginning of this year, so I put in the work to find out as much information about them as I possibly could. I listened to all of their diverse works, followed them on social media, watched interviews and other live performances, anything to learn more about their fantastic world, I did. I wanted to head into that concert knowing precisely what I was getting into.

Upon entering the Shrine Auditorium, one would immediately notice the massive size of the venue and exquisite detail of the building. Built originally in 1906 by The Al Malaikah Shriners, their Moorish architectural style has still continued to hold over the years. Holding events varying from the filming of King Kong to the very first Academy Awards Ceremony, it seemed only fitting for Radiohead to play at this exceptional venue. Before Radiohead, the crowd got the chance to experience the hiphop group Shabazz Palaces. Shabazz Palaces is comprised of Ishmael Butler and Dumisani Maraire and was created in 2009 when they anonymously released two EPs. Eventually their EPs caught the attention of various record labels but the group inevitably signed with Sup Pop label making them of the few hip hop artists to sign with the primarily indie/ rock label.I found it quite odd for a rap ensemble to be opening for the dreamy and experimental rock that Radiohead encompasses, but I simply sat back and watched as the duo came onstage. When that first beat dropped, I was taken back by how clear and loud the sound was. I had no idea of the existence of Shabazz Palaces before seeing them live so I was not at all familiar with their discography or sound. At first listen one would immediately just think of them as another hip hop duo but this generalization was quickly washed away by the use of actual instruments. Maraire played harmoniously to the beat on two beautifully crafted congas while Butler rapped over their own beats. Some songs contained some faster rapping while most of them held a steady and rhythmic rap style. They definitely made themselves stand out with the use of actual instruments and their African/ Jazz sound that they instituted. While the crowd wasn’t too enthused about them you could tell they were trying their hardest to get everyone riled up for their own performance and for Radiohead’s performance. Shabazz Palaces kept their spirits high and kept the Auditorium booming with some interesting sounds and beats. Watching them perform I soon realized why they were opening up for Radiohead.

After Shabazz palaces was done with their set, I sat there and stared blankly into the distance and onto the stage where Thom Yorke would be standing until I heard someone yell Tobey Maguire’s name. Sure enough I look behind me to find Tobey Maguire comfortably sitting behind me. Who would’ve thought that I would be sitting in front of Tobey Maguire at a Radiohead show. Finally at long last after much anticipation, they took the stage. The crowd went absolutely ballistic as soon as Thom Yorke and the rest of the band starting to dissapate into their respective places. Radiohead themselves seemed very pleased to be there at the Shrine’s stage that was lined with theatrical lights and a multitude of instruments. And with an amazing delicacy and grace they dove into their opening song “Burn the Witch”. Johnny Greenwood (lead guitarist) masterfully backed Yorke’s vocals, took lead vocals on some songs, and played his Fender Telecaster Plus effortlessly with a beautiful aggressiveness. Meanwhile drummers, Phil Selway and Clive Deamer, played in perfect harmony with each other and the band. Seeing Radiohead perform with two drummers was quite interesting and it seemed quite imperative to their overall sound. After spending an expansive amount of time studying each musician I had finally gotten to bassist Colin Greenwood. Colin Greenwood would often opt to switch between bass and piano and was beyond skilled when playing both of them. Adding an enticing effect to the show was the use of the dazzling lights, flashing everything from an eye-catching blitz of warm and cool colors to a flurry of QR codes above the band members. Although Radiohead seemed fairly comfortable in the spotlight they still seemed humble when receiving a roar of applause after each song. Being everything a frontman should be, Thom Yorke delivered great vocals accompanied by some favorable and smooth dance moves on stage. Radiohead was in control of everything from their instruments to every fan in the Shrine. Had Radiohead told the crowd to lay down and roll over, they wouldn’t have thought twice about it. Witnessing a band who was so in control of a crowd was quite surprising. Fans were often shushing each other on tracks such as “Daydreaming” and “True Love Waits” so as everyone could take in every audible tone of Yorke’s haunting voice. Fans had no problem being hushed mostly due to the fact that they have all waited so long to be graced by the band’s musical presence. Radiohead played almost half of A Moon Shaped Pool, a decent amount of tracks off of The King of Limbs, and multiple tracks off of almost all of their discography. They played everything from “2+2=5” to “Bodysnatcher”. The fans were not letting Radiohead leave before performing not one but two encores. Boy did they play. Radiohead left us wanting more and wondering when they would be back. They emitted a wonderfully cosmic sound of perfect harmony, giving us a show that was a beautiful on all levels.

I’m Gonna Keep You in Love With Me

My mind had been on its own journey all day, often forgetting that it was going to be experiencing The National that night. I thought to myself how seeing The National would help me focus on things other than my life at the moment. I had been anticipating this show for a couple of months now and it was hard to believe I would be seeing them at long last. The National had become one of my favorite bands after my father introduced me to their music so being able to cross them off my must see bucket list was a great feeling.

Upon arriving to the Greek Theatre one would immediately notice the massive line wrapping around the venue. I hopped out of the car and quickly got into line so as to secure a spot as I waited for both my sister and dad. I had never been to the Greek Theatre so I didn’t know quite what to expect and I quite frankly was a bit distressed about not getting a good spot once inside. Within a blink of an eye we were inside the massive theatre. I analyzed the venue and the audience members once I settled into my cozy seat on the side. The venue seemed to provide ample room for everyone which was a pleasant surprise. I waited there patiently for The National to come on but before that The Lone Bellow would provide some entertainment for us.

The band started playing quicker than most; jumping right into their folky Americana setlist. The Lone Bellow was comprised of Zach Williams, Kanene Donehey Pipkin, and Brian Elmquist so the stage seemed a bit big for them, but they filled the airspace with enough sound for all to hear. I wasn’t paying as much attention to the band as they deserved not because they didn’t sound good, but merely because my mind was focused on one thing at the moment: The National. Regardless the crowd seemed to be thoroughly enjoying their performance. Both Zach and Brian often amped up the audience or initiated a unison of clapping. It wasn’t their guitar playing that would inevitably set The Lone Bellow apart but their soul. You could tell that Zach and Brian were truly singing their hearts and souls out. The band cared what they were playing, who they were playing for, and more importantly the message they were sending. This proved to be a distinctive quality of the band and one that the night would carry on with The National. At one point they brought Aaron Dessner from The National onto the stage to play with them. Overall, The Lone Bellow was nothing I took a particular interest in not due to their performance, but more due to my own musical preferences. They had put on a good performance if you were familiar with their work, but I still admired the heart and soul they put into their music

Before you knew it, I had popped up and was manically clapping as Matt and the rest of the band took the stage at long last. “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want” accompanied the darkness as the band walked on stage. The band opened up with fan favorite “Don’t Swallow the Cap”. The Greek Theatre was a perfect venue for the National to play at. A massive screen captured whatever empty space was behind the band themselves while the stadium provided copious amounts of room not only for the audience but also for the band. Watching the band perform, one could easily tell how comfortable they had become performing in front of an exorbitant amount of people. They sounded as clean and sorrowful as they did on their studio albums. Brothers Aaron and Bryce Dessner were often given segments where they playfully played off of each others sound. In addition, the band treated us to a multitude of new songs often cracking some quirky and subtle jokes beforehand. The band as a whole, communicated well both musically and emotionally. Drummer Bryan Devendorf really united the band with his drumming often adding in multiple beats and utilizing all of his drum kit to create a unique sound that really defines The National. Meanwhile, Matt Beringer sang with the same soulful sadness that accompanies his heartfelt lyrics often encompassing me into a sort of trance and making me completely forget where I was. They played songs spanning from Alligator to their most recent album Trouble Will Find Me engrossing us into a magnificent show for about an hour and forty five minutes cutting their setlist short by a song or two due to the curfew set by the venue. The National had hypnotized the entire theater for the night and sent me into a certain kind of heaven, making me forgot my troubles and if they would ever find me.

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GØGGS Smokes the Rickshaw

Standing in line alone, listening to the cold wind whisper isn’t as lonely as one might think. I had been debating greatly on whether or not I was gonna come to the show tonight ; the main thing holding me back was the sketchy area that the venue was located in. Did I really wanna go home at 11:00pm and risk running into some crazy homeless guy? “Ah fuck it”, I thought to myself.

The Rickshaw Stop sat right in the middle of Fell St, its walls invaded with purple tentacles and flying eyeballs made it hard to miss if you were looking for it. Most venues would seem to accumulate a line about an hour or half an hour before the show but not the Rickshaw Stop. As a matter of fact, I was first in line which rarely happens for me. This was my first show I had been to since moving to San Francisco, I was excited to say the least. I had been listening to GØGGS for the past couple of days to familiarize myself with their debut album. I had seen Ty Segall play twice before this : once at The Echo in 2014 and another time at Teragram Ballroom at the beginning of this year. Both times he did not disappoint so I entered into the Rickshaw Stop with high expectations. I sat there patiently scanning the room until the show started. Examining the crowd has got to be one of the most interesting parts of attending concerts. The diversity among people is sometimes very prevalent or in this case not so prevalent. White punk rock kids mostly controlled the floor of the concert. There were three bands that were going to be filling the air with music that night : Scraper , The Double, and last but not least GØGGS.

Scraper was the first band to give us a taste of the punk rock show we were in for that night. Saying nothing they immediately jump right into their first song. The setlist of all the bands for that night has currently escaped my mind. Scraper sets the stage, though with some hard songs. The song that stood out in their set was a new song titled Misery. The crowd seemed to be pretty enthused about the band, but you could tell that they were conserving their energy for something spectacular. A serious tone definitely laid awake within their lyrics. Sitting there observing you could tell each song told a small story of their lives ; an honesty in their lyrics. Scraper left the stage leaving me fulfilled until GØGGS would take the stage.

Watching the The Double set up the stage excited me. The drummer was setting up multiple pieces so I assumed this would give them a unique and exciting sound. The drummer was a bit older than the frontman/ guitarist. The guitarist was in his late forties while the drummer looked to be in his late fifties. The crowd was growing a bit antsy. Sensing this the Double quickly took the stage and started their set. Immediately they jumped into their 3o minute set with a nice bongo like drumming intro accompanied with some mildly rough guitar strumming. It was this exact same sound that controlled the venue airspace for their entire set. This caused my mind to wander and eventually I just began to continually scan the audience multiple times, often seeing members of both GØGGS and Scraper mixed within the audience. The Double had left the stage after holding the same sound for nearly 30 minutes only adding very slight and very subtle changes every once in a blue moon. Bewilderment and lethargy overcame half of the audience members while the excitement and confusion overcame the other. When the Double walked off stage I quickly became grouped into the first group of people.

Both Ty Segall and Chris Moothart took the stage before Ex-Cult band member Chris Shaw joined them. GØGGS set the crowd ablaze by breaking right into their set with the opening track “Falling In”. Soon enough the entire crowd was a taken over in a swirl of madness and even though Shaw’s mic was turned off for the first song no one seemed to care. Shaw possessed the energy and attitude of a punk frontman while Ty manically shredded the guitar as if he was in a heavy metal band ; Moothart brought a unison of both members as he intensely drummed without missing a single beat. Between the moshing and head banging it was hard to grasp the fact that the show ended in the blink of an eye. “Smoke the Wurm” was as fast and hard-hitting as “She Got Harder”. Segall and Moothart switching places added, some spice to the performance while an unknown bassist played in unison with all the members. Although I have seen Ty play multiple times , it was interesting to seem him as simply the guitarist and not the frontman. The band obliterated only half of their self titled debut album before they left the stage. Sitting here listening to their album is leaving me with only one thought : “Damn I wish they would’ve played more.”

Alive with the Glory of Rock N’ Roll

Ahhhh the good ol’ Fonda Theater, where so many fond memories have been made. A place where thousands of bands have played, from Radiohead to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. However tonight’s stage belongs to both Deap Valley andWolfmother who tore the fucking roof right off! There isn’t anything like catching a fiery hard rock concert with your father in the City of Angels. Both Deap Valley and Wolfmother gave Los Angeles the treat they deserved on the night of March 26,2015.

It was a bit nippy outside as we all stood in line eagerly awaiting for the doors to open. Before you knew it we were all being patted down and allowed to file into the venue at 8:00 PM. Getting into the venue and getting the spot I wanted took little to no effort as we were one of the early birds. I stood there eagerly awaiting to hear Wolfmother’s’ guitars ripple through the air. Soon the lights dimmed and while Wolfmother did not take the stage, we did get out first taste of some distorted, heavy rock n’ roll.

Rock duo Lindsey Troy and Julie Edwards both took the stage as Deap Valley and let me say they were the perfect band to warm up the stage for Wolfmother. They started playing as soon as they took the stage and you could immediately feel the energy in the air. Everything about them was hard, raw, and heavy. They opened with “Bad for My Body” which set the tone for the rest of their set. The fast and solid drum beat was accompanied with heavy guitar riffs and both worked together to bring the house the down. Although the giant Wolfmother banner was up behind them you could still tell the focus was still very much on Deap Valley themselves as they ripped through song after song to make sure that they were not overshadowed by Wolfmother. While this might seem difficult to do,they nearly accomplished this due to their distorted White Stripes noise they produced and their energy given off as they played. While their theatrics weren’t anything special, they were definitely alive and kicking. Everything from their outfits to the fact that leader singer Lindsey Troy was barefoot, slithering across the stage in her leopard skin tight one piece ensemble gave off the Rock N’ Roll vibe. As with most opening acts the crowd was not as responsive as one could’ve hoped for, at least until lead singer whispered ” You’ve got bodies, move em baby” which seemed to awaken the crowd from their slumber. As the crowd starting to move more in tune with the rock duo you couldn’t help but notice the chemistry these two performers had with each other. As the lead singer played off the drummer and even went so far as to stand on the bass drum as both vivaciously played their new single “Royal Jelly”. While they definitely did not steal the show from Wolfmother, Deap Valley did make sure that we did not forget them and they surely accomplished this.

After about 20-30 minutes of waiting the Fonda Theater went completely dark. With no warning Link Ray’s track “Rumble” from cult classic Pulp Fiction filled the air and set a sort of ominous tone. Roaring consumed the entire venue as the crowd knew what was about to happen. The lights flipped back on slowly to reveal Andrew Stockdale, Ian Peres, and Alex Carapetis also known as Wolfmother. Quickly the haunting tone was wiped away as they opened up with their fast new track “Victorious”.

Wolfmother makes their presence known immediately by giving out the vitality of a 16-year-old punk rock degenerate. Every song simply got harder and stronger as they went through their setlist. Much to my surprise they played an even amount of songs off of each album. In addition they not only recreated how they sounded off the album but they made themselves sound much rawer and complex than they do in the studio. With their ferocious energy and simple addition of reverbs and a little more distortion, they brought the crowd to an intense moment of excitement and ecstasy. We were even treated with a bass and drum solo. The energy of all three band members was striking but the one band member that definitely stood out was bassist/ keyboardist Ian Peres who bounced around the stage and riled up the crowd to its maximum vivacity. What was even more impressive was Stockdale’s power to command the crowd as a veteran performer, using brief moments to gaze at the crowd in a demonic fashion,

Regardless of the fact that more than half of the crowd was populated by older people, everyone was as alive as the band members themselves. I often found my eyes observing the audience for long periods simply because they were so active. With both the band members and the mob of people’s energy all in one little area, one might’ve thought they could bring the house down as everyone was having a good time and jamming out. There was a older gentleman who looked like Weird Al with white hair who was easily caught up in matching the energy of the crowd and the performance as he unabashedly did the freak out dance. Wolfmother ended their performance with crowd favorite “Joker and the Thief” which amped everyone to their maximum capacity sending the crowd into a frenzy. As not only a massive mosh pit formed but Andrew Stockdale even cracked the neck off his Gibson SG with 3 humbucker pickups. Eventually when Wolfmother’s performance came to end, they had left me and the LA crowd wanting more.

Overall both Wolfmother and Deap Valley brought the house down and showed Los Angeles that Rock N’ Roll is still very much alive and thriving.

One with the Music

On March 11, 2015, Fresno received a grand treat when four notable bands entered the Save Mart Center where so many beloved artists have graced the city. Bear Hands, Foals, Silversun Pickups and Cage the Elephant all coexisted and shared the stage very graciously for the eager concert goers. Although I was very uniformed on both Bear Hands’ and Foals’ discography and their entire band presence, I believe they put on sufficient shows. However, Silversun Pickups and Cage the Elephant truly stole the venue that night.

While Bear Hands was well known with the audience, their stage presence was quite disappointing. They opened up with “Peacekeeper,” which was nice introduction to their set. Their best song was arguably “Bone Digger,” with its catchy chorus “the lies, the lies, the bullshit and the lies.” The only lackluster element in Bear Hands performance was their low energy. This can be blamed both on the audience and Bear Hands themselves. While the viewers weren’t the most lively characters, the performers could’ve tried to put out more effort into hyping up the crowd. Regardless of their energy, their sound was very immersive as they executed their songs with great integrity. Lights only added to the immersion that their music produced. While their sound was very experimental, their theatrics were, unfortunately, not up to par.

Foals energy was much more prominent than Bear Hands’, and while I was not at all familiar with their work, I did find it very easy to not only listen but also become engrossed in their performance. They opened up with the fast and aggressive track “Snake Oil,” which set the tone for the rest of their set. With only one slow and calming song, Foals continued a great show with raunchy alternative rock tracks. As with Bear Hands, the lighting of the show added to Foals more noticeable theatrics. The lead singer, Yannis Phillippakis, spread his energy with the crowd through stage antics such as group clapping and stage diving. These acts added to Foals performance and ended up livening up the audience overall. Despite my unfamiliarity with the group, I believe they put on a engaging and enjoyable show.

One of the bigger headliners and stronger performers, in my opinion, was Silversun Pickups, who came on shortly after Foals. Silversun Pickups, formed in the early 2000s, had a lot more track options to choose from than the former bands. They of course opened up with a track from their new album, Better Nature. Band members Brain Aubert and Nikki Monninger consumed and flourished in the spotlight together. While musically I found Silversun Pickups to be more dynamic in comparison to the previous bands, their onstage activities were mellow and spars. Their songs were definitely the calmest of the bands as they played their instruments to form a shoegaze sound that is so widely known. They eventually concluded their ethereal performance, but not without leaving us with something to remember by playing fan favorite “Lazy Eye” and closing their set with the last track of Better Nature, “The Wild Kind.” Complete a earthy sound and chill onstage vibe, the Silversun Pickups put on a memorable show and definitely earned their spot as second to Cage the Elephant.

Finally we had the creme de la creme, the main act, Cage the Elephant. The act was worthy of their title as the headliner for the Spring Fling Tour. As soon as Silversun Pickups left the stage, the anxiety truly began for Cage the Elephant as we all sat there eagerly waiting to see Matthew Shultz and the rest of his band embrace not only the stage but also the audience. The lights dimmed until blackness surrounded us, white light rose from above, and there they were, Cage the Elephant, soaking in the spotlight. Four albums had allowed them to play a wide variety of songs. You could easily tell with their opener, “Cry Baby,” from their newest album Tell Me I’m Pretty, that both Matthew and his counterpart, Brad Shultz, were not foreign to the fame. Matthew’s spirit resonated when the crowd was at its peak and latched onto his moxie. They played a plethora of fan favorites from “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” to some of the newer hits such as “Mess Around” and “Shake Me Down.” The guitars were perfectly in tune on most songs while on others such as “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” they sounded a bit imbalanced. Like a ball of pulsating energy, Matt bounced around the stage and gave the crowd exactly what they wanted with stage diving, crowd interaction, and just making his presence unforgettable. He moved with the music, and you could tell he had no jitters or anxiety due to his looseness that took over his body as he united with his sound. Not to be overshadowed by his brother, Brad Shultz was equally as impressive with his stage diving and both his aura and his musical being were astonishing. The existence of two highly energized performers on the same stage almost made it seem like there was hardly enough vitality for the rest of the band members. In addition, some songs, such as the classic “Sabertooth Tiger,” did not sound as impressive live as one would think. Yet they made up for this by playing hits such as “Spiderhead,” “Take it or Leave It,” and the encore song “Cigarette Daydreams.” These were some of the highlights off Cage the Elephant’s set list and phenomenal performance.

Spring Fling’s visit to Fresno, California was one for the books. The indie/alternative mashup was enthralling, entertaining, and splendidly accomplished its goal: to bring the music to the people with style and charisma.