Nashvilles Be Your Own Pet (BYOP) stormed into the Wiltern as part of the Nylon tour, which could have easily been mistaken for a Rock for Barack Tour, given the stage decor. This marked the final date on BYOPs recent tour and the band surely showed it. They encapsulated the saying rode hard and put away wet. Lead singer, Jemina Pearl, looked like she had been living the stereotypical rockstar lifestyle and looked a bit more hardened than her roughly 21 years (memorable quote, I can drink now! as she slugged a beer onstage).
For BYOP, it seems like the sound of their music may be reflecting their lifestyle. BYOPs live show was much more raw and rocking than their records, especially their most recent release, Get Awkward, which is their most commercial sounding release to date.
On stage BYOP reminded me of an early 80s punk band, not only for the way they sounded, but also for their presence on stage “no care in the world” kind of rocking. But unfortunately, this no care in the world seemed to translate into BYOPs entire set. The band looked disconnected from one another and had no camaraderie on stage. There was no connection with the audience.
Highlights: Bassist, Nathan Vasquez literally rocking his pants off everything including boxers just fell down while rocking out and Vasquez finished the song before even pulling himself together (or up). BYOP playing the very catchy The Kelly Affair.
