On Tuesday night, Los Angeles’ Echoplex transformed into a dance club hosted by the rapidly-ascenting promoter Check Yo Ponytail 2. The lineup was excellent, consisting of the lovely Danish Oh Land, the eccentric Blood Orange, and the dark sounds of TRUST.

For those of you who have not heard TRUST before, picture a mix of house music and gothic new wave of the ‘80s. While listening to the Toronto-based duo’s debut full-length, TRST, I imagine band members Robert Alfons and Maya Postepski performing at a seedy after hours club in New York City circa 1980, sweat dripping off their faces as they produced heavy, hard-hitting electronica to a sea of strung out party monsters, jonesing for human contact. And to be quite honest, that’s exactly what I was hoping for in their performance Tuesday. Unfortunately, it didn’t pan out that way.

A third member accompanied the two-piece on synthesizer, allowing Alfons to focus on his vocals with Postepski behind the drum kit. Musically, the group killed it. Each song was executed flawlessly (and loud). Alfons’ vocals seamlessly ranged from an Ian Curtis-esque drone to falsetto wails as Postepski’s dead-on rhythm kept the beat. But although TRUST produces electronic music, it’s not all necessarily dance worthy, which I found out during the band’s performance. The trio began its set with a couple slower paced tunes to get in the groove, while the Echo Park audience stood, rigid. It wasn’t until the group started playing “Dressed for Space,” its most upbeat, catchy dance track, that the crowd got excited and began to dance. From there, the band transitioned into its single, “Bulfbaform,” heightening the sweaty dance party I was so looking forward to. However, this flailing orgy was short-lived, coming to a screeching halt when the Canadian electro-ravers switched back to their heavy, buzzing, bass-heavy tracks.

Some critics have commented on TRUST releasing its debut album for itself rather than for an audience, and the same could be said about the performance. Alfons was in a trance, gyrating as if he was suffering a seizure, but there was disconnect with the audience. Nobody in the band said a single word to its fans while onstage (and there was a good turnout considering TRUST was the first band of the night). For this, I was disappointed, but as I left the Echoplex, I wanted nothing more than to get in my car and blast the album on my drive home.

TRUST is currently on a North American tour before heading to the UK in May. Below is a list of tour dates.

4/11 Costa Mesa, Ca - Detroit Bar

4/12 San Francisco, Ca - Popscene

4/13 Seattle Wa, Electric Tea Garden

4/14 Vancouver, BC - Electric Owl

4/15 Portland, Or - Rotture

4/17 Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle

5/10 Brighton, UK - Psychosocial

5/12 Brighton, UK - Above Audio

 

 

In the modern rock music world, it is rare to find a female front person who is also an instrumentalist, let alone a talented one. But there are exceptions to every rule, and in this case, the exception is The Joy Formidable’s Ritzy Bryan.

Not only does the UK-dwelling chanteuse possess an amazing set of pipes, but she can also wail on guitar. As part of a trio, she’s in charge of both rhythm and lead melodies, and she executes both with ease (plus, she looks good doing it). On Wednesday night, she led her band through an explosive performance at Los Angeles’ kitschy Mayan Theater. The all-ages show was packed with fans spanning generations, all eager to see their beloved dream pop troupe. As soon as the band stepped on stage, the audience erupted in elated cheer. “Ritzy, I love you,” boomed through all corners of the large venue.

The three-piece dove right into its music, beginning the set with “A Heavy Abacus,” one of the many singles off the group’s 2011 debut full-length, A Big Roar. Its music, which is relatively clean and mellow on the album, translated to a tremendous wall of sound live. Rhydian Dafydd ferociously slapped his bass, Matt Thomas feverishly struck his drums, and Ritzy twirled and flailed as she strummed her guitar, transforming pop tunes into thrashing rock songs, and inciting a large mosh pit to form in the middle of the floor.

Having essentially been living on tour for the past few years, The Joy Formidable perfected the art of the live performance. Ritzy thoughtfully addressed the crowd on several occasions, asking how everyone was doing and expressing the band’s strong affinity for Los Angeles, the city where it mixed its first album. Several times Rhydian mounted the stage’s edge, gesturing for the crowd to get louder as he and Ritzy stood back to back, clawing at their instruments. They put on a spectacle, and the audience loved every second of it.

So much so that when the band said goodnight and came back for its encore, the crowd gushed just as loud (if not louder) than the first time the British rockers inhabited the stage. Contrary to what Ritzy told me in our interview, the band treated its fans to a new song off its upcoming sophomore release. The track, entitled “Silent Treatment,” was much more stripped down than any of the band’s previous material. Ritzy sang and Rhydian strummed an acoustic guitar. There was no percussion. After the beautiful interlude, the trio jumped back into its loud set, ending the night with a raucous rendition of, “Whirring,” which featured a spectacular harpist juxtaposed with a wailing instrumental bridge and she throwing her guitar into the drum kit at the end of the song.

The members of The Joy Formidable are entertainers. They were meant for the stage, and once they release their forthcoming album, I have a feeling that stage is going to get much bigger.

Before I delve into the details of this performance, I’d like to give a little preface. First of all, I have never, ever, seen Los Angeles’ venue The Satellite so packed for an opening band (and I go to a lot of shows), and secondly, if you live in the LA area (or anywhere, for that matter) and still haven’t listened to NO, do yourself a favor and change that. You can download the Echo Park quintet’s EP, Don’t Worry, You’ll be Here Forever, for free right here. Although this is still brand-spankin’-new band (these guys haven’t even been playing together for a full year yet) it has already brought attention to itself by performing at The Echoplex, Bootleg Bar, Troubadour, and a Monday residency at The Echo upcoming in March. This dedication and determination has resulted in numerous publications dubbing NO a band to look out for in 2012, and I completely agree with this statement.

Wednesday night’s show wasn’t the first time I’d seen NO. I was able to catch the second legitimate live performance these guys played last month, and the energy between the band members was astonishing. I couldn’t believe they had only played in front of an audience just once before. Since then, they’ve played a smattering of local shows, so I was eager to check them out after some more practice. That kinetic vigor had grown, especially in vocalist/guitarist Bradley Carter.

The first time I saw him perform, he was mobile, utilizing the stage and feeding off his audience and band members. This time around he looked like a rock star. His charisma paired perfectly with the brand of anthematic indie rock he produces. He sauntered across the stage and used large, sweeping hand gestures as he sang.  His lyrics sounded so heartfelt and authentic that when he belted out, “Stay with me, isn’t there a place for me inside your heart?” from the EP’s closer, “Stay With Me,” it sent chills down my spine. His face expressed both pain and hope. His honesty was refreshing.

The band, as a whole, was spot on. Each member in this band is such a proficient musician that he could play his part with his eyes closed. And each band member had a microphone to conduct grandiose five-part harmonies, allowing Carter to joke about the ability for the audience to apply to their men’s choir online.

NO is not meant to play in small venues (although I love intimate shows) it is meant for a stadium. Its sound is so large and its energy is so powerful, it needs to resonate in a larger space, and I think, as long as the quintet keeps doing what its doing, it will be playing larger clubs in no time.

Your next chance to see NO is Monday, June 30, at Bootleg Bar. This show is FREE! 21+.

Brooklyn Bowl has taken a while to grow on me as a venue, but I have to admit they’ve got a great space, and there’s no denying what a great combination a venue/bar/bowling alley/restaurant is. They’ve branded themselves well, and they really do have some great acts play there.

Raccoon Fighter has gotten some good local press, such as being nominated for Band of the Month by Deli Magazine in February, and they are also hot off a residency run at Cake Shop the entirety of last month. If you’re thinking that their backwoods-sounding name is any indication of their sound, you’re not too far off. Raccoon Fighter is a band in the same vein of bluesy garage rock as Detroit bands like The Greenhorns. The guitarist has a gravelly growl that serves their raw sound well; at times very reminiscent of Tom Waits. All three members sing, and the bassist put down his bass on one song to jangle a beat with a tambourine in one hand and two shakers in the other, while singing melody. These boys have a groove, and they were probably the perfect opening band for a London Souls show, since they had the energy and hype most conducive to what was yet to come.

What I love about venues owned by musicians is that you know the sound will always be good. Santos Party House, owned by Andrew W.K., is no exception. Apparently he has the stage lined with custom-made monitors, and it seems he is also fond of fog machines. As soon as I walked into this Chinatown venue, I was dazed by the white haze in the room, which is pretty spacious. The main room is lined with two bars on each side and supported by giant metallic silver columns, and the stage is high enough that you can see the band from anywhere in the room.

I made my way to the front when Tera Melos was setting up. The crowd was mostly young punk kids, but there was a very amiable vibe in the room. These kids were here to listen to some good bands and have a good time, and mosh a little. Ok, a lot. I got the feeling things could get crazy when the guitarist/synth/sampler player asked the sound guy to turn up his sound to “an obnoxious level.” The decibels went up, the sampler started, and these guys punched it. Hard.

It was another sold out show at Bowery Ballroom, as shows there often are. I was expecting this to be a night of throwback music, since the lineup of bands all hearken back to the 60s era with retro fuzzy poppy sounds, whether it’s 60s girl groups or more Beach Boys-influenced sounds. I had seen Tennis at Glasslands last year when they played a short set in the middle of a lineup, and I was looking forward to seeing a full set at The Bowery, especially now that their full length album, Cape Dory is out.

First up was Holiday Shores, from my home state of Florida. The band is named after a street Nathan Pemberton grew up on in the panhandle, easy walking distance from the beach. The shimmery summery sounds of the Florida coastline come out of every pore of Holiday Shores’ music, with their poppy organ sounds, sprightly picked guitars, and some really clever bass lines holding down the rhythm under the melody. Their live set had much more vintage organ sounds than the recordings I’ve heard so far, but Pemberton did mention they were playing lots of new songs that aren’t out yet. Three of the four members sing, often harmonizing on stories that sound like they are straight from Pemberton’s adolescent memories. Listening to their set made me really yearn for summer again, the way I remember it.

The word of the evening, ladies and gentlemen, is talent.  Last night at the Troubadour, raw talent was apparent in every band that graced the tiny stage, making for an awesomely accurate portrayal of today’s local rock scene.  Six groups came and went, each bringing a different and individual sound, thus creating a more than satisfying night of face-melting.  With an entire glorious new year of concert-going ahead, this show set the bar for many acts to come.  Bring it on, 2011.

The Modern Drone

The night started out early with The Modern Drone.  A few people lingered and chatted on the floor, and the show instantly took on a concert-out-of-your-neighbor’s-garage feel.  The sound was good—promising—but the newness and inexperience of the band was apparent.  This is not a bad thing; rather, it’s quite interesting to be able to compare this embryonic trio to a more developed band with a definite presence and a sense of cohesion and confidence (such as thatwasthen).  Here were three kids before me—skinny-ass boys in old tees and jeans—shredding and jamming and looking a little nervous, but undeniably talented and filled with potential.  Two more years practicing in Mom’s garage and playing some local gigs and I think I’d see a whole new band.