We’re testing video for the first time. Click on the top right pic to watch Islands lead the crowd out of the El Rey and light off a few fireworks. Dowload higher quality version HERE
Despite the cheapest beer being $5, last nights Why?/Islands show was one of the best I’ve been to in months.
We got there right as Why? was going on. They were fantastic. I’m a big fan but hadn’t gotten to see them perform before. I was worried that the music wouldn’t translate well live, since one of the reasons I got into bands like Hymies Basement, clLOUDDEAD, 13&god, etc, is because the production on the albums are so outstanding. Luckily, the music came across just fine. People were really into it and singing along, which always makes shows better. Though they didn’t play “Sanddollars” off the new album, they did play two Hymies Basement songs, which made me happy and might’ve been the best songs in the set.
After another overpriced PBR and spending an atrocious amount of money on merch, Islands went on. I had seen them at The Echo last time they were in town, and I was kind of bummed that they were playing a bigger venue. I got over it fairly quickly by dancing a lot, and because it’s scientifically impossible to be anything less than ecstatically happy while listening to Islands. It got even better when
Busdriver joined them for a song,; pity it was only one song, though. They brought a little guy named Matty on stage for a pinata-break in celebration of Cinco De Mayo. Though letting a little kid on a stage already crowded with about 7 members, blindfolding him, and letting him swing around a stick blindly seems like not the best idea, there were no equipment casualties and people got candy. After the last encore song came another idea which seemed dangerous but ended up being amazing. The crowd split down the middle as the band came single file off the stage and lead everyone outside. Once they got a half block away from the El Rey, they got up on a planer and started lighting off fireworks that they had picked up in New Mexico. Crazy Canadians. It was glorious. They tossed a few into the crowd for some DIY firework action. Islands certainly knows how to win over a crowd: good music and free illegal fireworks.
