Los Angeles – After about two months of very-light scheduling at music venues across the world, 2016 is here. Last year saw the release of many exciting new albums, and now those artists are taking to the road in support of their newest releases. One such band with a brand new album in 2015 was power-pop group Surfer Blood. The West Palm Beach, FL group has gone through some changes lately due to the battle guitarist Thomas Fekete has been fighting against a rare form of cancer, releasing their third full-length 1000 Palms in May. While leader John Paul Pitts has matured as a songwriter over the last five years or so, in the eyes of critics he has never quite been able to match the brilliant hook writing and exhilarating moods of the band’s debut Astro Coast. However, in a live setting the band is hard to beat as they mixed new songs with old classics and kept the all-ages crowd at the Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles churning throughout the evening.
Joining Pitts and fellow co-founding member Tyler Schwartz (drums) were bassist Lindsey Mills and guitarist Mike McCleary. The band was extremely tight and professional, no shock for a band that has spent time on a major label and almost constantly been on a tour cycle. From the beginning of the set Pitts and company reached into older releases, touching upon 2013’s Pythons with “Weird Shapes”. The band even revisited 2011’s EP Tarot Classics with the ripping “Miranda” – which Pitts, upon realizing it was an all-ages show, apologized before for playing their fastest song so early in the set. After the song concluded, the band members tossed bags of Sour Patch Kids into the audience.
Surfer Blood continued with a new song from 1000 Palms, the comparatively languid “Dorian”, a head-bopping tune that is built around several melodic, palm-muted guitar riffs. The biggest response of the night however, went to the very first song on their very first album, “Floating Vibes”, an unforgettable piece of guitar-based pop songwriting that introduced the world to Surfer Blood. Later in the set, Pitts headed into the crowd for a sing-along during a cut which he claimed was “about how to lose 30 pounds on tour,” a claim clearly backed up by his more svelte appearance as of late.
Joining Surfer Blood on tour is Santa Monica, CA-based indie pop group Cayucas. The band is also touring in support of an album that was released in late spring, their sophomore LP Dancing at the Blue Lagoon. Led by a pair of twin brothers (Zach and Ben Yudin) and sounding a lot like a West Coast version of the lauded Vampire Weekend, the group showed a great deal of promise and talent as they opened up for Surfer Blood. Highlights of their set included “High School Lover” and “Hella”.
Catch Surfer Blood and Cayucas on tour all spring.
Photos by Matt Matasci for Best New Bands
Matt Matasci
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