Awolnation is the creation of music mastermind Aaron Bruno, and on Thursday night in his hometown of Los Angeles, he had a packed house jumping for more.
In an effort of full disclosure, I was a huge fan of Aaron’s previous band Under The Influence Of Giants. When they went one and done on Island/Def Jam I was really disappointed. How could such a great record receive no attention and zero tour support? It’s actually a common story these days but it’s worse when it happens to a band you’ve rocked with since their inception. Needless to say, with the birth of Awolnation it seems if Aaron and his new guys are doing all the right things.
First off, it starts with Red Bull Records. With a small label of only a few bands, Red Bull is able to give bands time to find their audience. They let Awol do what they wanted, release how they wanted, and next thing you know “Sail,” an unlikely single to say the least, is in solid rotation on tastemaker station KROQ in Los Angeles. Social media plays a huge part in moving the needle, and Awol excels with a great website, constant social media updates, a dedicated iPhone app and even free music downloads. With these pieces in place, you add excellent songwriting to an amazing live experience, and you can start to feel where Awolnation is headed.
They cranked through their electrifying 75 minute set with relative ease. Several band members including frontman Aaron Bruno ended up in the audience crowd surfing on several occasions. They ended the evening with their 12 minute plus opus “Knights of Shame,” another unlikely crowd favorite that seems to be a recent show closing staple.
These guys are fantastic. The record is solid and the live experience is exactly that, not a regurgitation of the record but a fully encompassing live event. They are just getting started on their Fall Harvest Tour so check them out if they are in your area.
