Girl at the Rock Shows

I don’t know why, but after being out of town for a couple of days, it’s been hard as hell to get back into the grind. There have been plenty of shows lately, but leaving the house hasn’t been in the cards, and I’ve been opting for more nights in than out lately. Honestly, I was starting to worry that this was a trend. I know I’m burnt out, but did I reach the point of no return? I know that sounds dramatic. I also know that everyone needs a break here and there, even me. That being said, being at First Avenue on Saturday night sparked that love of live music in me again. It energized me and left me with the familiar feeling of fire in my soul. I know I took some days off, but I’m back now, and I have Saturday night’s show to thank for that.

Opening up the night was Los Angeles-based L.A. Witch. The last time I saw this band was all the way back in 2017 when they were playing the much more intimate 7th Street Entry. This band has always had me hooked by their sound. I know it’s a bit tongue-in-cheek to say, given their name, but L.A. Witch is a very mesmerizing and transfixing kind of band. They are the kind of band where, when you see them, whether you know anything about them or not, they instantly cast a spell on you. Stylistically, their sound is almost atmospheric to a point. It’s hazy and foggy, with glimmers of angst and passion that cut through the haze at perfect angles. When you add the darkened lights that cast more shadows than spotlights on the members of this band, you are left with a set that is as eerie as it is stunning and as mysterious as it is powerful.

I’ll be honest, I wish this band did more on stage, but I couldn’t tell you what that “more” would be. The way they all just stand there and let their unique sound do the talking makes sense and adds to the aura that is L.A. Witch, but I feel like, for a Friday night where I felt like I was finally finding that spark of creativity and drive again, I just wanted a bit more. I wanted an explosion on stage, not just in the speakers, but that’s my problem, and I think I was alone in this camp. The quickly growing audience didn’t seem to have any complaints about this opening set. People in the audience had their eyes and ears glued to the stage in an almost hypnotic way, just adding to the mystery and lore of the band L.A. Witch.

Headlining the Friday night show at First Avenue was The Black Angels. Although far from a household name, this band has a very cult-like following, and that following definitely showed up to celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Black Angels’ debut album, ‘Passover’. I’ll be the first to admit that I am a passive listener of The Black Angels at best. I have to be in the mood for their psyched-out sound, and I feared that that wasn’t the case on Friday night as they took the stage, but within the first few seconds of “Young Men Dead” (the opening track of the set and of the album playthrough that kicked off the set), it hit the spot.

Like L.A. Witch, there’s this slight air of mystery around The Black Angels. Where does that air of mystery come from? For me, it’s from the almost droney backdrop of their sound. Don’t get me wrong, The Black Angels are definitely a psychedelic rock band, but there’s so much more to it. This slight drone feel adds a sense of intensity to their set that is inescapable, and when you pair that with the fuzzed-out distortion of their sound, you are left with something that you don’t just hear, you feel. Whether you are literally feeling the loud bass make your hair vibrate ever so slightly or feel the vibrations deep in your soul, you are feeling it. Another thing that adds to the band’s air of mystery is their lack of banter. I love it when a band addresses the audience. Not only does it give me more to talk about in these blog posts, but it also humanizes bands in a way I really appreciate. You don’t get that with The Black Angels. This band doesn’t talk much to the crowd, but it works. Their live performances are all-consuming in a way, and I think how they transition seamlessly between tracks rather than taking time to chat adds to that vibe.

After playing through the ten tracks that make up ‘Passover,’ The Black Angels went on to play a couple of tracks from their 2010 album ‘Phosphene Dream’ along with the hidden track from ‘Passover’ (remember when hidden tracks were a thing?!). Again, as a passive fan, I really didn’t know what they were playing, nor did I care; I was just there for the vibes and the sounds, but it was clear that they did a great job of picking what songs to add to their set list beyond the album, based on the reaction of the crowd. The crowd was attentive while the band played, but turned into a cacophony of cheers and claps between tracks, then quickly hushed to give the band room to play again. It was a give-and-take that you see and hear at every show, in a way, but there was something just a bit more intense about this. People in the audience weren’t just here for another show; they were here to see The Black Angels, and they weren’t about to miss a single second of it.

I feel like I have my spark back. It took a minute, but I’m back in it and ready to dive headfirst into a doozy of a bender of live shows, and I think it’s because of the passion, creativity, and heart that I felt from both bands that performed and the audience on Friday night.

Line Up:

L.A. Witch

The Black Angels

Venue: First Avenue

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing

Average Age of the Crowd: 38

Crowd Surfers- 0

Stage Divers- 0

Mosh-ability- 0 out of 10

Amount of Beer Spilled On Me While Walking Around- $0

Broken Bones- None

Spotted Flying Through The Air- Nothing

Fights- None

Pukers- 0

Passed Out People- 0

How Many Times I’ve Seen These Bands Before (or at least how many times I can remember)-

L.A. Witch – 2

The Black Angels – 0

Show on Deck – Onlytime / Cobra Czar / Den of Thieves / Body / Psychic Wreck

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