Last week at the Echo, Gold Standard Labs showcased a large portion of their roster in a two night extravaganza that won’t soon be forgotten. The most unforgettable moment occured the second night though, where 400 Blows reportedly played their last show. I’ll take most of the blame for not getting that night covered. The good news is that we were there for some serious R&R on Thursday.
Even in my 15 years of going to shows in LA, I’ve never quite mastered what time bands start at different venues. Jeremiah and I did a bit of research and found out that the night’s show was an early one, but we weren’t sure how early. Luckily J lives just around the corner and was there just before nine, which allowed him to catch a bit of Dmonstrations. I was driving up from Long Beach and needed to clean Bessy. By the time I arrived, around 10, Year Future was finishing up their set. Everyone around was gazing in awe at how tight they were. They just got back from a European tour with 400 Blows and The Locust and you could tell they brought their A game. It reminded me of all those early punk/hard-core/straight edge shows I used to frequent in high school. I think they’re taking a break to record some but keep an ear open for some shows in the upcoming months.
Jeremiah and I enjoyed a beer and caught up on happenings as Lipgloss and the Evil Eyes set their gear up. I’m always excited when horns are involved. Maybe it’s growing up on So Cal Ska (not gonna deny that one) or maybe it’s just that horns are cool. The crowd of devoted fans up front instantly helped get things going. I guess the best way to describe it would be if James Chance and The Contortions were fronted by a riotous girl from San Fran. Not sure if that does it justice but everyone was diggin it. What worked well was the that they kept switching up instruments to keep the sound fresh. Sometimes there were keys, sometimes sax, and when front woman Rhani Remedes strapped on the bass things really got going. As the sounds wound down I ran out to get Bessy to sling some cream out front. I couldn’t believe that four bands had played and it wasn’t even midnight. Hung around for a while then called it an early one for a change.
Does anyone have pics from Friday or of LB locals Sexytime Explosion?
