What the world needs now is more Fcukers & their sold-out show at The Observatory only served as further proof

April 10, 2026 by Leave a Comment

Fcukers - Shanny WiseBy Josh Manalang //

Fcukers with Sex Week //
The Observatory – Santa Ana, CA
April 3rd, 2026 //

Fcukers are everywhere. The upstart electronic duo out of NYC has already made the rounds at major festivals like Coachella (twice), Glastonbury and Primavera Sound since forming in 2022, and just last month they performed on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” to mark their first TV appearance. There’s even a billboard on Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park promoting their debut album Ö.

So, it’s a little surprising how often I’m met with quizzical looks and blank stares when I ask folks, “Have you heard of Fcukers?” Ever since they released their lone EP Baggy$$ in 2024, Shanny Wise’s breathy vocals and Jackson Walker Lewis’ thumping production have been rattling around in my head rent-free.

Maybe it’s an age thing. Most of my peers aren’t spending their free time scanning venue calendars or plumbing through the depths of Spotify looking for new music. Or maybe it’s nostalgia. Y2K aesthetics have come roaring back: fashion, graphic design, even iPods and point-and-shoot digital cameras. The same impulse runs through music right now, and Fcukers are riding that bloghouse/indie-sleaze/electro-indie revival. Last year they toured with Tame Impala. This summer they’re serving as support for Harry Styles in São Paulo. They might be the biggest band you’ve never heard of.

Tell that to the throngs of fans lined up outside The Observatory in Santa Ana for a sold-out show last Friday, with only a few Millennials sprinkled into the crowd that skewed primarily Gen Z. As a first-time visitor, the venue’s layout stood out immediately: amphitheater-style tiered levels that wrapped around the room’s ground-floor pit as the balcony overlooks the space. With clear sight lines from nearly every angle, the design far exceeds some of its counterparts (I’m looking at you, The Novo).

Fcukers - Jackson Walker Lewis

Past the front doors, the energy inside was palpable. There were groups gathered in clusters and friends catching up with drinks in hand as the room steadily filled in. Girls in chunky platform boots snapped selfies. Guys double-fisted beers, shouting over the rising noise as more and more ticket holders filed into The Observatory. By the time the main floor reached capacity, the anticipation had settled into something focused and electric.

When the house lights dimmed, the restless crowd snapped to attention. Sex Week were an unexpected but compelling choice for the evening’s opening act. Fcukers lean into sexy, high-tempo and party-ready vibes, whereas the Brooklyn-based slowcore duo create something more restrained and contemplative than what would follow. Their song “Moneyman” felt like a hazy exchange between partners, dual vocals drifting over soft, textured guitar. Sex Week vocalist Pearl Amanda Dickson moved fluidly from one end of the stage to the other, while guitarist Richard Orofino transitioned to percussion midway through the set, adding a subtle shift in momentum. Live, their sound leaned heavier — featuring more distortion and more weight — than their recorded material suggests. Despite the tonal contrast, the audience remained engaged, meeting the performance with enthusiasm.

Leading up to Fcukers’ headlining set, everyone appeared to be locked in: buzzing, restless and ready to erupt. They started with their debut single “Mothers” and the reaction was immediate as the opening lines that outwardly confess “I need to feel your body all of the time / I need your touch just so I can go to bed / Night and day” feel less like lyrics and more like a shared sentiment.

Even though Fcukers present themselves officially as a duo, their live setup adds a DJ and drummer into the mix that transforms the show into something much more physical and immersive. And that’s what sets their gigs apart from others: the energy. It’s constant, kinetic and reciprocal, with a unique power to make their fans feel less like they’re at a traditional concert and more like they’re at a house party stretched to its absolute limit.

Fcukers - Shanny Wise

Wise and Lewis worked through tracks from their new album Ö, written in a rapid two-week sprint with producer Kenny Beats. Songs like “if you wanna party, come over to my house” sounded harder, faster, louder and more chaotic live in the best way possible. The bass thumped, the stage lights pulsed and the crowd loved every second of what they got to witness. Even amid the brief moments of reprieve, it was impossible not to get pulled in. At one point, Lewis handed his bass guitar to Wise, shifting the tone with a slower track. Later, he paused to address us directly and offer a few words about taking care of each other in these uncertain times, punctuated by a loud “FUCK ICE!” that earned a resounding cheer.

But those moments were fleeting considering the momentum rarely broke. Fcukers closed out the night with selections from Baggy$$, ending on crowd favorite “Bon Bon” that sent the room into one last burst before the house lights came on.

For a band that still draws blank stares when referenced in conversation, Fcukers don’t feel unknown onstage. Instead, they felt inevitable at The Observatory, as if they were a well-oiled machine already operating at full capacity and just waiting for the rest of the world to catch up.

Because if Fcukers are indeed the biggest band you’ve never heard of, it won’t be for much longer.

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Silversun Pickups come out swinging with power & precision to kick off their ‘Tenterhooks Tour’ for a sold-out crowd at The Observatory

February 26, 2026 by Leave a Comment

Silversun PickupsBy Josh Herwitt //

Silversun Pickups with Pure Hex //
The Observatory – Santa Ana, CA
February 19th, 2026 //

Among the many artists and bands who have found their way to Southern California, seeing homegrown acts reach new levels of success is always special in one of the most creative yet competitive industries. Because in a town with as many transplants as Los Angeles, it’s not lost on us native Angelenos when a local product’s profile extends far beyond our city’s limits to enter the national spotlight every so often.

LA’s connection to the music business and its greater impact on the global landscape needs no further explanation of course, but if we can take a short trip down memory lane, the 90’s were a seminal era for rock ‘n’ roll in the City of Angels following the days of glam and hair metal led by the likes of Mötley Crüe and Guns N’ Roses. And even though the explosion of grunge in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest had taken MTV by storm, the rise of “alternative rock” across SoCal was just as palpable with Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jane’s Addiction, Tool, Rage Against the Machine and Incubus all getting lumped under that generic descriptor due to major radio play (thank you, KROQ) despite each undoubtedly having their own unique style and sound.

The turn of the century, however, would usher in a new type of rock that wasn’t nearly as glamorous — or flamboyant quite frankly — as anything preceding it. Unlike the bright lights of the Sunset Strip, gritty and soon-to-be-gentrified neighborhoods on the Eastside such as Silver Lake, Echo Park and Glassell Park became a hotbed for indie outfits by the early 2000’s when electronic music and rave culture were expeditiously growing in popularity across the Southland, too. Nevertheless, there might not be a band to emerge from that scene as quintessential as Silversun Pickups.

Founding members Brian Aubert (lead and backing vocals, guitar, occasional keyboards) and Nikki Monninger (bass, backing and lead vocals) had met several years earlier when Aubert happened to notice Monninger across the aisle stealing alcohol out of the drink cart on a flight from LA to London. Both were traveling to Cambridge for a school exchange program at the time, striking up a friendship that culminated with them forming Silversun Pickups in the new millennium. Aubert spent most of his childhood in Topanga Canyon and the San Fernando Valley while Monninger grew up in Los Alamitos, but playing storied LA clubs like The Echo, Silverlake Lounge and the now-defunct Spaceland (later renamed The Satellite before its subsequent demise during the COVID-19 pandemic), they put down roots in Silver Lake and drew inspiration from local haunt Silversun Liquor for the band’s name after many late-night booze runs.

As much as the blogosphere was an essential tool for discovering new music by this point, support from others in the Silver Lake community that included the late singer-songwriter Elliott Smith also proved to be a guiding force for Silversun by the time half of the group’s lineup had turned over in 2002. But within months of Chris Guanlao (drums, percussion, programming, occasional backing vocals) and Joe Lester (keyboards, samples, sound manipulation, occasional guitar and backing vocals) coming aboard, Smith had invited the four-piece to open one of his “comeback” shows at The Fonda Theatre.

Silversun Pickups

Releasing their debut album Carnavas in 2006 with lead single “Lazy Eye” as its anchor put the Pickups squarely on the map for those seeking a new source of rock music and many devoted fans of shoegaze. Comparisons to The Smashing Pumpkins and My Bloody Valentine came fast and furious as a result in addition to a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist on the heels of their sophomore full length Swoon, which debuted in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200. Whatever momentum that had been built didn’t vanish suddenly on 2012’s Neck of the Woods and 2015’s Better Nature as both climbed toward the top of the charts, but neither seemed to generate the same kind of mainstream buzz their previous material had.

Maybe that’s why the ensuing Widow’s Weeds less than a year before the whole world shut down saw Silversun collaborate with legendary producer Butch Vig for the first time and continue that relationship on their two most recent studio efforts. Vig has served as Garbage’s drummer for almost 30 years now, but anytime you can land the guy who was behind the boards for Nirvana’s Nevermind, L7’s Bricks Are Heavy, Sonic Youth’s diRty and the aforementioned Pumpkins’ Siamese Dream, you hire him and don’t question the decision. From what we can tell, it has not only helped the quartet expand its horizons with Monninger showcasing more of her vocal capabilities at times but also led to a more refined sound and approach when it comes to the songwriting process. Silversun have every right to feel completely sure of themselves after navigating the last two-plus decades together, and that sort of cohesion as well as chemistry remains evident when you throw on their music or watch them perform it live with conviction.

Leading up to the release of Tenterhooks was a little bit different for the Pickups in that it coincided with a real scare during the album’s production when Aubert went to the hospital for an ear infection and had to stay much longer after suffering blood loss due to stomach damage from ibuprofen. It would take him six months after receiving blood transfusions until his ear was fully healed, but thankfully Aubert avoided any permanent damage to his hearing. As he recently explained to SPIN, one of the downsides from the health issues he experienced was not being there to see the album through its final stages when there’s that “wanderlust because you’re still working on it and you still have an imagination with it.” The finishing touches on Silversun’s seventh record were instead left up to Vig and Aubert’s bandmates, who didn’t let him — or their listeners — down.

Tenterhooks is a tighter collection of songs compared to what came ahead of it with a run time short of the 40-minute mark, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some serious bangers as soon as you press the play button. The one-two punch of “New Wave” and “The Wreckage” set the tone right away, giving the follow-up to 2022’s Physical Thrills an accessibility that should appeal to listeners new and old. The 10-track LP would arrive less than a couple weeks before the Pickups hit the road to kick off their 30-date North American tour at The Observatory, and based on the sold-out crowd that greeted them in Orange County, it would be easy to believe you had been transported back to the late aughts upon entering the two-room venue’s main music hall.

Even if they aren’t mixing up their setlist on a nightly basis, Silversun have many of the ingredients that any good live act needs — starting with a charismatic frontman in Aubert to go with a rock-solid rhythm section. It had been close to 10 years since we last saw them and mind you that was inside the Mojave Tent at Coachella, so although the 1,200-person space provided a stark contrast, it also offered a more fulfilling experience as they uncorked a trio of personal favorites in “Well Thought Out Twinkles”, “Panic Switch” and “Circadian Rhythm (Last Dance)” prior to their four-song encore that saw Aubert take over keyboard duties for the Tenterhooks cut titled “Running Out of Sounds” (and they certainly aren’t). But no Silversun Pickups show would be complete without a taste of “Lazy Eye” and there was no doubt in our mind it would be coming as the clock eclipsed 10 p.m. No matter how old it is, the unrivaled hit still provokes a visceral feeling that will shake you down to your bones, and at a time when those moments can seem harder to come by as we become more absorbed by technology, it’s seasoned bands like the Pickups that we can count on to remind us what it feels like to be alive.

Setlist:
New Wave
The Wreckage
Well Thought Out Twinkles
It Doesn’t Matter Why
Panic Switch
Au Revoir Reservoir
The Royal We
Witness Mark
Kissing Families
Empty Nest
Mean Spirits
Long Gone
Hot Wired
Circadian Rhythm (Last Dance)
Dots and Dashes (Enough Already)

Encore:
Running Out of Sounds
Interrobang
Growing Old Is Getting Old
Lazy Eye

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The Bam Team’s 5 Favorite Shows, Albums & Songs of 2025

December 30, 2025 by Leave a Comment

Best of 2025 - Geese, Clipse, Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist, Primus, The Prodigy, My Morning Jacket

Well, here we are again with another year in the books. Music, for one, certainly had its ups and downs throughout 2025. There was Kendrick Lamar’s iconic Super Bowl halftime show, the long-awaited return of Britpop legends Oasis and of course the death of Ozzy Osbourne two weeks after performing for the final time that sent shockwaves across the world. Along with those moments, we witnessed quite a few of our own. Whether it was taking in the closest thing to a Rage Against the Machine show you can see these days, The Prodigy tearing down the house for their first North American headline date since 2017, an evening with Primus that was chock full of surprises, My Morning Jacket’s epic return to Red Rocks, one of the summer’s best co-headline tours with The Flaming Lips and Modest Mouse both sharing the stage and Lord Huron’s ascent to newly minted arena act, there was plenty to celebrate and remember over the last 12 months.

But with another year down and 2026 right around the corner, it’s time for us to reveal our annual “Best of” lists as we have done since this blog started more than a decade ago (see our 2024 picks here). As we always say, we will be the first to confess we didn’t attend every show or spin every album that was issued in 2025, but reflecting on the year that was remains just as fun and challenging as when we first started doing this yearly exercise.

So, without further ado, Showbams presents The Bam Team’s five favorite shows, albums and songs from 2025.

Listen to The Bam Team’s favorite songs of 2025:

Geese - Getting Killed

Josh Herwitt // Los Angeles

Top 5 Shows of 2025
1. Nine Inch Nails at Kia Forum – Los Angeles, CA – September 18th-19th
When these Hall of Famers announced their “Peel It Back Tour” almost a year ago, we had a pretty good feeling that new music would be on the way. What we didn’t know is that it would for the new “Tron” movie that arrived in the fall. And while permanent members Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross showcased only the soundtrack’s lone single on this run, it was the production featuring a two-stage setup and reimagining of older songs — particularly on the “B Stage” with Boys Noize as Nine Inch Noize — in addition to the unexpected return of former touring drummer Josh Freese that had me thinking about these final two shows of the tour for weeks. That’s what live music can do when an unforgettable performance sticks with you, which was even more remarkable considering Reznor entered his seventh decade just earlier this year.

2. My Morning Jacket at Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO – August 15th-16th
3. Queens of the Stone Age at Arlington Theatre – Santa Barbara, CA – November 8th
4. Jack White at Hollywood Palladium – Los Angeles, CA – May 12th-13th
5. Primus at Greek Theatre – Los Angeles, CA – August 6th

Honorable Mention: The Prodigy at The Warfield – San Francisco, CA – April 13th

Top 5 Albums of 2025
1. Geese – Getting Killed
Let me just say first and foremost that this was not my favorite year for albums. That said, there were several that stuck out and the fourth full length from these NYC indie rockers stood squarely at the top. From the sonic chaos that greets us during “Trinidad” and the groovy, Sly Stoned-flavored “100 Horses” (which is apropos given his death in June) to lead single “Taxes” that’s one of its best and the frenetic finale “Long Island City Here I Come”, the variety of sounds being explored on Getting Killed is almost unparalleled. Geese shouldn’t be considered new kids on the block at this point, but there’s a legitimate reason why they were one of the year’s hottest bands and I am still kicking myself for missing their sold-out show at The Fonda Theatre in late October (resale tickets were going for as much as $800 and that was while the Dodgers were in the World Series no less). Well, fingers crossed for my first one in 2026.

2. Clipse – Let God Sort Em Out
3. The Mars Volta – Lucro Sucio; Los Ojos del Vacio
4. Lord Huron – The Cosmic Selector Vol. 1
5. Ty Segall – Possession

Honorable Mention: Lady Gaga – Mayhem

Top 5 Songs of 2025
1. Nine Inch Nails – “As Alive as You Need Me to Be”
I have no problem admitting that I am a sucker for any new NIN music. As one of my favorite bands all time, the industrial rockers had not released a proper album in more than a decade and we’re not sure if the “Tron: Ares” soundtrack technically counts in our book either. But we love it when Reznor leans into the electronic side of the project, and “As Alive as You Need Me to Be” with additional production from Boys Noize scratches that itch for us. While numbers don’t always tell the full story, the fact that it was our top played song on Spotify does mean something when you look back on all of the music we got to consume in 2025. Better yet, Trent and Atticus still making music of this caliber speaks volumes to their craft and talent as true professionals.

2. Clipse – “Chains & Whips” feat. Kendrick Lamar
3. My Morning Jacket – “Beginning from the Ending”
4. DARKSIDE – “One Last Nothing”
5. Lord Huron – “Bag of Bones”

Favorite Soundtrack of 2025: Nine Inch Nails – Tron: Ares

Deftones - private music

Andrew Pohl // San Francisco

Top 5 Shows of 2025
1. Home Front at Thee Parkside – San Francisco, CA – November 21st
Having caught Home Front last year in SF at Bottom of the Hill I know going into this concert that Home Front was going to absolutely crush it, but man oh man did they completely outdo themselves. Opening act False Flowers warmed up the crowd in spectacular fashion, and The Government did an excellent job as main support. The overly packed room was VERY ready to receive what Home Front was about to give them, and the band destroyed the place inside and out. Sonically crisp and very tight, the band has built a reputation of being a superb live act and it fully lived up to that at this show, playing much of the material from their new album Watch It Die along with material from their previous efforts and a Cock Sparrer cover to end the set.

2. Pile at Rickshaw Stop – San Francisco, CA – September 10th
3. Pixies with Blonde Redhead, Spoon at Greek Theatre Berkeley – Berkeley, CA – August 28th
4. Deep Sea Diver with Byland at The Independent – San Francisco, CA – April 8th
5. Dance Hall Crashers at Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA – June 7th

Top 5 Albums of 2025
1. Deftones – private music
For a band that has produced as much quality output as Deftones has over the years, it’s nice to see them outdo themselves like they did on this album. I wouldn’t qualify it as a “return to form” since it has much of the sonic familiarity throughout the rest of their catalog, but the songs themselves are just really strong and stick to your bones more than most of their other recent material. They sound like a unit that came into recording this with confidence and intention. The material also feels like it would translate well live, and based on how footage of their concerts this year looked, I stand correct. This is the album that I kept coming back to over and over again in 2025, which didn’t surprise me given my love for these guys.

2. Momma – Welcome to My Blue Sky
3. Home Front – Watch It Die
4. Deep Sea Diver – Billboard Heart
5. Viagra Boys – Viagr Aboys

Top 5 Songs of 2025
1. Viagra Boys – “Man Made of Meat”
This is such a perfect way to open Viagra Boys’ new album. Right off the bat you get that level of sass and weirdness that we have come accustomed to from the Swedish post-punk band. From the perfectly timed belch in the opening verse to the breakdown where frontman Sebastian Murphy brings up the idea of subscribing “to your mom’s Only Fans,” the song is a buffet of ridiculousness. The chorus is catchy as all get out, and the song as a whole is that perfect mix of accessible and clever. What a fun way for them to get things started.

2. Deftones – “Locked Club”
3. Preoccupations – “Ill at Ease”
4. Home Front – “Light Sleeper”
5. Momma – “New Friend”

Clipse - Let God Sort Em Out

Rochelle Shipman // Los Angeles

Top 5 Shows of 2025
1. Kendrick Lamar and SZA at SoFi Stadium – Inglewood, CA – May 24th
It’s hard to imagine anything other than a killer Kendrick show after the run he’s had this past year, but the Grand National Tour went above and beyond and around again. It was one set with songs from both artists’ catalogs being seamlessly interwoven before they came back onstage to perform a few of their hits together. Kendrick was riding his deserved high, while SZA was angelic (literally suspended above the crowd wearing wings) and somehow made it feel like we were watching two Beyoncés. The power and craft on that stage was something so special to witness.

2. Little Simz at Fox Theatre Oakland – Oakland, CA – November 17th
3. Clipse at The Novo – Los Angeles, CA – August 23rd
4. Bright Eyes at The Wiltern – Los Angeles, CA – February 7th
5. Doechii at Gallagher Square (Petco Park) – San Diego, CA – November 5th

Honorable Mention: NxWorries at Hollywood Palladium – Los Angeles, CA – October 19th

Top 5 Albums of 2025
1. Clipse – Let God Sort Em Out
After a false start with Def Jam that resulted in a seven-figure buyout, Clipse finally found a home at Roc Nation for their newest album in 15 years over the summer — and now it’s hard to imagine it happening any other way. The brothers Thornton reunited to educate the kids on what a proper album rollout used to entail, the whole time sharing their experiences and emotions surrounding their parents’ deaths to a degree most men would never dream of doing. The beats and bars hit so hard all the way through they even make some of Pharrell’s cringeworthy moments sound catchy. There’s no question Mom and Dad are proud of them after laying down this masterpiece.

2. Little Simz – Lotus
3. Backxwash – Only Dust Remains
4. Landlady – Make Up / Lost Time
5. Panda Bear – Sinister Grift

Top 5 Songs of 2025
1. Little Simz – “Thief”
Opening her sixth studio album with an intro track that’s as intense as it is eloquent, the London rapper continues to prove she’s not the one to fuck with. Marking the first of a few songs on Lotus that artfully skewers her former musical counterpart Inflo of Sault, “Thief” leaves Simz’s broken heart totally bare against a compelling musical backdrop. It’s never fun to watch close friends have a falling out, but we would be damned if Little Simz didn’t make it sound so good.

2. Clipse – “The Birds Don’t Sing”
3. AJ Tracey feat. Jorja Smith – “Crush”
4. Casey Dienel (fka White Hinterland) – “Your Girl’s Upstairs”
5. Doechii – “Nosebleeds”

Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist - Alfredo 2

Michael Silver // Orange County

Top 5 Shows of 2025
1. Jack White at The Grove of Anaheim – Anaheim, CA – January 25th
The millennial guitar GOAT went on a generational run in 2025. A master of gorilla marketing and last-minute ticket announcements, White commenced his “No Name” tour with an intimate OC performance. The Internet gods were kind to me as I scored front-row access to see the Detroit native blitzed through a 21-song set spanning White Stripes cult favorites (“The Hardest Button to Button”) to The Raconteurs’ gems (“Broken Boy Soldier”) all while mixing in new joints (“Old Scratch Blues” followed by “That’s How I’m Feeling”). Between playing music halls and theaters as well as NFL stadiums with Eminem in front of a national TV audience on Thanksgiving, the virtuoso and ambassador for all things vinyl was officially inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The White Stripes this year and has carved out his own lane in rock history.

2. Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist at The Observatory – Santa Ana, CA – October 27th
3. The Eagles at Sphere – Las Vegas, NV – October 10th
4. Wu-Tang Clan at Crypto.com Arena – Los Angeles, CA – June 22nd
5. The Used at House of Blues Anaheim – Anaheim, CA – October 11th

Top 5 Albums of 2025
1. Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist – Alfredo 2
Following up on 2020’s Grammy-nominated collaboration, the Indiana rapper and California producer created a soulful, translucent vibe of hip-hop bravado. The opening guitar licks on “1995” showcase a new era of creativity by The Alchemist, while Gibbs provides a hypnotic and downright maniacal flow. “Mar-a-Lago” and “Lemon Pepper Steppers” define these sophisticated raps, with the emcee in total control painting a visual storyboard.

2. Deftones – private music
3. Turnstile – Never Enough
4. Clipse – Let God Sort Em Out
5. Joey Bada$$ – Lonely at the Top

Top 5 Songs of 2025
1. Turnstile – “Birds”
Has there ever been a more fitting rock anthem to take over the airwaves? Soaring in at 2:27 long, the Baltimore collective blasted into our collective conscience. With high-profile fans like Billie Eilish, Elton John and Hayley Williams singing their praise, it wasn’t long before mainstream radio added them into their rotations. To wrap up a wild press campaign, lead singer Brendan Yates performed the first-ever stage dive at NPR’s Tiny Desk series with “Birds” as his soundtrack.

2. Deftones – “Milk of the Madonna”
3. Diplo – “Flashlight” feat. Project Pat & Juicy J
4. GELO – “Tweaker”
5. Sublime – “Ensenada”

Favorite Soundtrack of 2025: Nine Inch Nails – Tron: Ares

Showbams

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The Kills give us the chills at The Wiltern on their ‘God Games Tour’

March 18, 2024 by Leave a Comment

The KillsBy Josh Herwitt //

The Kills with Heartworms //
The Wiltern – Los Angeles
March 14th, 2024 //

It has been a wet winter in Southern California this year, and some of us are still drying off from all the rain that bombarded the greater LA area over the past three months.

But with the clouds finally parting and clear skies paving the way for the impending spring (and warmer temperatures naturally), spending 90 minutes up close and personal with The Kills was not such a bad way to celebrate the end of one season and the start of another.

The last time I packed up my camera gear was almost two months ago when Texas post-rock quintet Explosions in the Sky came to town and performed two nights at The Wiltern where we witnessed the second date (read our show review here), and my next opportunity in the photo pit just happened to be back at the same historic theater that has stood for more than 90 years now in the heart of Koreatown.

Alison “VV” Mosshart (vocals, guitars, dictaphone, production) and Jamie “Hotel” Hince (vocals, guitars, dictaphone, organ, harmonica, electric viola, drum machine, production) have been at it for more than two decades themselves, releasing their sixth studio album God Games to critical acclaim last October and embarking on a North American tour that spanned 31 concerts across six weeks beginning in early February at Santa Ana’s The Observatory.

The Kills

Shortly after London post-punk outfit Heartworms led by singer-songwriter Jojo Orme had wrapped up their opening set, fans had either found space on the tiered floor or taken their assigned seats up in the balcony as the clock struck 9 p.m. And as we waited for Mosshart and Hince to make their entrances, I couldn’t help but remember when I drove 45 miles east on a weeknight one summer to watch The Kills strut their stuff in Pomona (read our show review here). Fortunately my commute for this engagement was much shorter, though I have no regrets about making the trek out to The Glass House more than eight years ago.

The British-American rock duo had yet to release 2016’s Ash & Ice at that point, but we did hear three of the LP’s tracks — including lead single “Doing It to Death” that has since become one of The Kills’ most popular songs alongside “Future Starts Slow” off 2011’s Blood Pressures and “Black Balloon” on 2008’s Midnight Boom. Mosshart and Hince, meanwhile, have managed to cook up another hit on God Games with the gritty opener “New York”, and hearing it live for the first time at The Wiltern was certainly one of the evening’s highlights for us — not to mention other new material such as “Love and Tenderness” and “LA Hex” that sounds more like balladry than the higher-tempo, full-throated bangers loyal listeners have come to expect from them. Heck, maybe that’s one reason why Hince has even traded in his boots for a pair of white penny loafers (and they look good on him, too).

God Games, in that regard, undoubtedly shows The Kills continuing to take some chances and expand their sonic horizons without guitars. And for an act consisting of only two full-time members, it sure does deliver enough sound that you might think a full band was onstage in a similar way that Royal Blood do after seeing the UK two-piece occupy the same space in November and command a sold-out audience with a full-blown mosh pit breaking out (read our show review here). Sure, it would be epic if a drummer and bassist could be part of The Kills’ live show in the future, but with touring costs rising and a number of advancements in technology affording musicians a lot more flexibility, it would most likely take playing much larger venues for them to make a move like that — and we are more than A-OK if they don’t ever headline arenas or stadiums.

There wouldn’t be any pushing or shoving among audience members on this occasion considering The Kills’ music doesn’t really lend itself to that sort of aggressive behavior, but with a trio of backup singers joining them for “Blank”, “Better Days” and “My Girls My Girls” from God Games during what proved to be a four-song encore in LA, you got the sense that the return of Mosshart and Hince to their adopted hometown represented a special moment for them. This wasn’t the final stop of the “God Games Tour” unfortunately, yet that didn’t matter at the end of the day. Because when music like The Kills’ constantly replays in your head long after the show ends (and as I write these words), you know quite simply that it’s damn good.

Setlist:
Kissy Kissy
U.R.A. Fever
Love and Tenderness
103
Going to Heaven
Baby Says
New York
Wasterpiece
Kingdom Come
Hard Habit to Break
God Games
DNA
Black Balloon
LA Hex
Doing It to Death
Future Starts Slow

Encore:
Blank
Better Days
My Girls My Girls
Sour Cherry

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Photos Tagged With: , , , , ,

The unusual pairing of Glassjaw & Quicksand at the Observatory OC proves to be fruitful for both bands

July 27, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Glassjaw


Glassjaw

By Zach Bourque //

Glassjaw & Quicksand //
Observatory OC – Santa Ana, CA
July 20th, 2018 //

Last Friday, fans flocked to the Observatory OC for a night of legendary post-hardcore with Glassjaw and Quicksand co-headlining. The unusual pairing seemed odd on paper, but the more you look at the two side by side, the more you start to see their important similarities.

And though Quicksand reached peak popularity in the mid-90’s while Glassjaw’s rise came later during the mid-2000’s, both bands were trailblazers within the genre, with Quicksand virtually inventing it and Glassjaw redefining it.

Both outfits also hail from New York and were inspired by the local hardcore scene in their own unique ways, shaped largely by the music of their perspective times. While Quicksand took cues from the grunge scene, Glassjaw found inspiration in the emo scene that came to prominence in the 2000’s.

Glassjaw and Quicksand, furthermore, were in town fresh off the release of their newest LPs from 2017. Quicksand’s Interiors stands as arguably their finest record yet, marking 22 years since their last full-length effort. Glassjaw’s powerhouse return entitled Material Control, in the meantime, was released quietly and without fanfare but quickly built hype as one of the year’s best releases. For both acts, the albums were fantastic reminders of their own unique styles that remain unprecedented to this day.

What the groups didn’t share in common on this warm evening in Santa Ana, though, was a fan base. There was a very noticeable age gap between audience members, one that was felt the second you entered the parking lot. A crowd of late 20-somethings could be seen — and heard — tailgating and blasting Glassjaw while Quicksand got into their hour-and-a-half set around 8 p.m.

Inside the venue, unenthused Glassjaw fans lined the walls as they waited for the band’s 10 p.m. set time. It was certainly a disappointing sight considering how influential Quicksand were to the post-hardcore genre and because of how truly incredible their performance was when looking back at it.

Quicksand


Quicksand

Glassjaw and Quicksand have alternated headlining spots on this tour, and while Quicksand played first for this particular show, it didn’t seem to affect their spirits. The quartet sounded incredibly tight and full of energy. For every Glassjaw fan who was waiting it out with a beer, there were two Quicksand fans surrounding the packed stage.

Quicksand played an eclectic set from their catalog that spans nearly 30 years, including plenty of tracks off Interiors such as “Illuminant”. As the group kicked into their final few songs, vocalist/guitarist Walter Schreifels shouted “get ready to bang the fuck out of your heads,” and with that, the crowd immediately followed orders. Schreifels, toward the end, even took a seat behind the drum kit for a final jam session with Quicksand/Deftones bass player Sergio Vega.

As the sea of Glassjaw fans started to fill in the various levels of the Observatory’s floor, you could feel the room’s energy building. Everyone appeared to be pretty psyched for what they were about to witness. In general, few bands have as much of a passionate cult following as Glassjaw, and their two-year hiatus from 2004-2005 only increased the enthusiasm that was emanating from inside the venue. As lead vocalist Daryl Palumbo came out of the shadows and grabbed the mic, the floor erupted.

Glassjaw’s show covered their entire discography, and very few fan favorites were left off the setlist. While it was to be expected that newer tunes like “Shira” and “New White Extremity” would rock, it was staggering how well their older songs held up in a live setting. Palumbo’s voice, though slightly less manic than it once was, is still unmatched in its vocal range and shear intensity.

Older Glassjaw tracks like “Tip Your Bartender” and “Two Tabs of Mescaline”, meanwhile, sounded as sharp as ever. The instrumentation was similarly top-notch with bassist Travis Sykes serving as the catalyst for the group’s evolved sound on Material Control, which was released in December. But to close out their 17-song set, these Long Islanders delivered an explosive performance of “Siberian Kiss” from 2000’s Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Silence.

Having the chance to see Glassjaw and Quicksand share the stage is something that we’re likely never going to get again. And for those of us who drove down to Orange County from LA, we can only hope and pray to see more from both after what proved to be one hell of an experience for us.

GLASSJAW

Setlist:
Cut and Run
Tip Your Bartender
You Think You’re (John Fucking Lennon)
Pink Roses
Jesus Glue
Mu Empire
The Gillette Cavalcade of Sports
New White Extremity
Shira
Citizen
Strange Hours
Two Tabs of Mescaline
Bibleland 6
El Mark
Closer
My Conscience Weighs a Ton
Siberian Kiss

QUICKSAND

Setlist:
Freezing Process
Head to Wall
Brown Gargantuan
Omission
Backward
Illuminant
Warm and Low
Fazer
Blister
Shovel
Cosmonauts
Too Official
Multiverse
Unfulfilled
Thorn in My Side
Dine Alone
Delusional
Landmine Spring
Delusional
Jam (Sergio Vega on bass with Walter Schreifels on drums)

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: , , ,

Goldenvoice announces 2018 Coachella sideshows

February 14, 2018 by 1 Comment

Goldenvoice Presents: April 2018

It’s Valentine’s Day, so what could be a better way to celebrate love — or least your love for live music — than with a whole slew of newly announced shows?

Well, with Coachella’s 19th edition just a couple of months away, Goldenvoice has done it again, assembling another massive list of April sideshows at various venues all across the greater Los Angeles landscape, including some in Orange County (at The Observatory and Constellation Room), Santa Barbara County (at the Santa Barbara Bowl and The Arlington Theatre) and the desert (at Pappy and Harriet’s).

Sister trio HAIM kick off the festivities with their headlining performance at arguably our favorite Southern California venue, the Santa Barbara Bowl, on Saturday, April 7th before things ramp up the ensuing week with Kali Uchis, Chromeo, Tyler, the Creator, St. Vincent, Portugal. The Man (with Cherry Glazerr), Perfume Genius (with Big Thief), Princess Nokia, PVRIS, Marian Hill, Fleet Foxes, Carpenter Brut, Tash Sultana, The Drums & Alvvays (with Fazerdaze), alt-J (with BØRNS), Migos, The Bronx, Greta Van Fleet, A Perfect Circle, Yaeji, Angel Olsen, Jessie Ware, BROCKHAMPTON, First Aid Kit, Japanese Breakfast (with Snail Mail), Kelela, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Buscabulla (with The Marías), Priests, MØ, Jorja Smith & Tom Misch, ODESZA, Miguel, Boogarins (with B Boys & Señor Kino), Ron Gallo, Moon Boots (Live), The War on Drugs, Jungle, Soulwax, Petit Biscuit, 6lack, Aurora, Motor City Drum Ensemble (with Talaboman), Los Ángeles Azules, The Drums, Hayley Kiyoko and Elohim all playing — some even more than once — inside and/or outside of LA’s city limits.

Unlike last year’s sideshows, which included a special showcase at the Palm Springs Air Museum the night before Coachella’s first weekend featuring several artists from British independent record label Young Turks, Goldenvoice has opted not to go down that route again. The two gigs that mirror that mini festival the closest both take place on Thursday, April 19th, as Motor City Drum Ensemble performs at the Palm Springs Air Museum with Talaboman and Los Ángeles Azules invades the Riverside County Fairgrounds with Cuco, Helado Negro and Ocho Ojos just one day before Coachella Weekend 2 commences at the Empire Polo Club. Check out the full list of sideshows in the poster above.

Year after year, Goldenvoice seemingly continues to outdo itself with more and more shows in and around Coachella, and this April the renowned concert promoter has done its best to give music fans in Southern California a little bit of everything, from electro funk and indie folk to hip-hop and alternative R&B. But at first glance, the 2018 sideshows that stick out the most to us include the following: Chromeo at the El Rey Theatre, St. Vincent at The Orpheum Theatre, Perfume Genius (with Big Thief) at the Mayan, Fleet Foxes at the Warner Grand Theater, Tash Sultana at the Fox Theater Pomona, The Drums & Alvvays co-headlining (with Fazerdaze) at Pappy and Harriet’s, alt-J (with BØRNS) at the Santa Barbara Bowl, Migos at The Observatory, A Perfect Circle at The Arlington Theatre, Japanese Breakfast (with Snail Mail) at The Roxy, The War on Drugs at the Fox Theater Pomona, Jungle at Pappy and Harriet’s, Soulwax at The Fonda Theatre, 6lack at The Novo and Portugal. The Man (with Chicano Batman and Deap Vally) at the Santa Barbara Bowl.

Tickets for most of the sideshows go on sale here this Friday, February 16th at Noon PT with the rest of them available on Friday, February 23rd at Noon PT or Friday, March 2nd at Noon PT.

Goldenvoice

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Goldenvoice reveals 2017 Coachella sideshows

February 13, 2017 by 4 Comments

Goldenvoice Presents: April 2017

We’re already six weeks into 2017, and for many music fans residing in California, that means Coachella isn’t all that far away. But while much of the talk around this year’s lineup has been centered on Beyoncé’s debut and more recently her pregnant-with-twins news (the jury is still out on whether it will put a wrench in her plans to perform both weekends), Goldenvoice has turned a good portion of April into a long stretch of top-notch shows, similar to what Red Bull Sound Select has done in November with its month-long “30 Days in LA” series that last year included artists like Nick Murphy (formerly Chet Faker), YG, Jhené Aiko, AlunaGeorge, Pusha T and Isaiah Rashad (look back at our coverage here).

Much like in 2016, Goldenvoice has once again released a list of sideshows that will take place at venues in the greater Los Angeles area, with a select few extending into Orange County (at The Observatory and Constellation Room), Santa Barbara County (at the Santa Barbara Bowl) and the desert (at Pappy and Harriet’s).

Florida emcee Denzel Curry will kick off the festivities on Friday, April 7th at The Glass House before LA outfit Chicano Batman close things out at the same venue on Saturday, April 29th. In between those gigs, Sampha, Banks, Jack Garratt, Crystal Castles, Francis and the Lights, Bishop Briggs, SOHN, Oh Wonder, Future Islands, Little Dragon (with Sophie Tukker), The Head and the Heart, Joseph, Kaytranada, Banks & Steelz, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Nicolas Jaar, Car Seat Headrest (with Preoccupations), Bonobo, Mura Masa (with Kamaiyah), DJ Shadow, Breakbot, Blossoms, New Order (with Poliça), Hinds (with Twin Peaks), Bonobo, Galantis, Local Natives (with Tennis), S U R V I V E, The Avalanches, Glass Animals (with Little Dragon and/or Jagwar Ma), Empire of the Sun (with Broods), Tacocat, Bastille, Roisin Murphy, Whitney, Lil Uzi Vert, Mitski, Röyksopp, Future Islands, Pond (with Ezra Furman), Moderat, Swet Shop Boyz, Floating Points (Live), HONNE (with Arkells), Daphini, Jai Wolf, Guided by Voices and Phantogram will all perform — some even more than once — inside and/or outside of LA’s city limits.

Furthermore, British independent record label Young Turks will host a special showcase for its roster of artists with performances by Ben UFO, Four Tet, Francis and the Lights, Jamie xx, Kamaiyah, Sampha and special guest PNL in Palm Springs on Thursday, April 13th. Check out the full list of sideshows in the poster above.

It’s hard to believe that Goldenvoice has found a way to top their efforts from a year ago, but the renowned concert promoter has managed to do just that. This year’s Coachella sideshows are jam-packed with alternative-electronic and indie-rock acts, with Nicolas Jaar’s headlining performance at Pappy and Harriet’s alongside Floating Points (Live) and Pond as well as Future Islands’ date at The Glass House featuring support from Car Seat Headrest as two of the bigger highlights — and no doubt there are plenty on this bill. Yet, one of the most enticing pairings has to be the Glass Animals-Little Dragon-Jagwar Ma one that’s slated to take over the Santa Barbara Bowl, arguably our favorite venue in Southern California, on Saturday, April 23rd.

Tickets for most of the sideshows go on sale here this Friday, February 17th at Noon PT with the rest of them available Friday, February 24th at Noon PT or Friday, March 3rd at Noon PT.

Goldenvoice

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