Los Angeles – Despite the extended daylight and blisteringly warm weather outside, 2:54 preferred to keep things a little darker inside Los Angeles’ Echoplex. The band’s brooding yet melodic sound is best enjoyed with the lights turned way down and a healthy helping of machine-made fog flooding the stage. Led by the sister-duo of Colette and Hannah Thurlow, the band pounded through a nearly hour-long set filled mostly with songs from their newest release, 2014’s The Other I. Joined on stage by the energetic and clockwork-like rhythm section of Joel Porter and Alex Robins, the London-based band showed off a louder and more dynamic live sound, in contrast with the more subdued tone on their first two studio records.
Best New Bands reviewed The Other I in November, praising its “doomy and gloomy” atmosphere and noting its unexpected emphasis on keeping the drumming high in the mix for several songs. Surprisingly enough, 2:54 takes their name from a moment in a Melvins song, the very moment their favorite drum fills kicks in. While the band does not share a whole lot of sonic qualities with the Melvins, they do show a similar pension for noisy live performances.
After their first few songs, lead vocalist Colette requested that the house lights be turned down just a little bit, allowing the stage environment to match the rich, distorted tones the band churned out. While Hannah switched between the keyboard and guitar for much of the set, she was most effective when she was riffing out the halting, trebly guitar lines that allow 2:54’s songs to stand out. While on record, the band garners comparisons to Warpaint, Souxie and the Banshees and The Cure, in a live setting their sound was dripping with heavy distortion, creating a powerful wall of sound. This shoegaze element is heard occasionally on The Other I, but never realized to the extent of their live show’s sound.
The strongest songs in 2:54’s set were, predictably, the best songs off their most recent album. The driving verses and delicate harmonies of “Orion” were executive flawlessly, and very well could have been the highlight of the night. “Blindfold” and its unforgettable chorus became a tidal wave of distortion, instantly separating itself from its more subdued album version. The band even took a step back into their old album for its standout track (and another harbinger of heavy distortion), “Scarlet.”
While 2:54 were the headlining band for tonight’s show, they are in fact co-headlining their tour with another band from across the Atlantic, Glasgow’s Honeyblood. Their energetic brand of jangly pop punk provided an interesting contrast with the more deliberate, down-tempo music of 2:54. Making a whole lot of noise for a two-piece band, these ladies created angst-driven and melodic music. In stark contrast with the headliner, Honeyblood preferred to play with the lights turned up a lot brighter.
Both bands have plans to head to Austin later this month to participate in South by Southwest. 2:54 will then take a break while Honeyblood will continue to tour throughout the United Kingdom.
Check 2:54’s website and Honeyblood’s Facebook for additional information.
Photos of 2:54 live by Matt Matasci
Matt Matasci
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