Photos by Mike Frash // Written by Kevin Raos //
Electric Guest //
The Independent – San Francisco
November 2nd, 2012 //
Indie/electro/dream/neo-psych/chillgaze/wave-tronica/pop sensation Electric Guest showed Friday night at The Independent that pure talent can still ascend you quickly to stardom.
In a music world filled with so much synth, it seems just about anyone can make a hit record with a keyboard and a laptop. Just look at, say, any DJ. However, Electric Guest demonstrated musical prowess and a refined ability to write a captivating pop song, and it was all materialized by front man Asa Taccone.
Singer, songwriter and mastermind behind Electric Guest, Taccone had the capacity crowd enchanted every moment he was onstage. His fluid dance moves and infectious smile attempted to distract the audience from his immaculate voice, to little success.
Asa Taccone’s voice alone is worth an entire paragraph, perhaps an entire article. Weaving effortlessly in and out of falsetto, Asa’s voice was soothing and inspiring. A master with the mic, Asa would cup the microphone to create a reverb effect that echoed through the expanses of The Independent.
Asa’s vocals were on display to the marveling crowd, who showed their complete and utter adoration of the band during the short but sweet set. A Bay Area local, Taccone showed his love for the audience, not only with the mandatory Los Angeles jab, but also by telling stories of times spent in SF.
One of these times was while recording their recently released album, Mondo. Record producer Danger Mouse and the band reached a creative standstill, and in order to reignite an inspirational spark Danger Mouse and Asa Taccone took a trip to SF, where they spent over a week doing whatever it is people do to regain their creative mojo.
It must have worked. They returned from SF and continued to create one of the best electro-pop albums of the year.
“Troubleman” was a highlight of the show, and we were told this was a song that came from a trip to SF with Danger Mouse.
For as many good things I have to say about this show, I must say it was very short. Taccone commented when returning from the encore break, “we only have 10 songs and we just played nine of them,” before kicking into their encore song. Before they find some more creative juices, a cover or two might bolster their repertoire nicely. Taccone definitely has the vocal ability to pull off Michael Jackson. Just sayin’.
In the end, the crowd got exactly what it was looking for: an upbeat dance party to some well-crafted pop songs.
It’s worth noting the opening band No. These kiwis probably had a longer set than Electric Guest and were great, blending rock and electronic. It’s equally astounding that they have rights to the twitter handle @NO!
All in all, Electric Guest killed it, but left the crowd thirsting for more. I eagerly anticipate their sophomore offering.
Leave a Reply