It’s really difficult to describe the diverse music scene in Los Angeles. With so much going on, it’s even harder to show it. But last night at the Echo proved that a glimmer of Los Angeles music can be condensed for the night. Headlining band SWIMM, accompanied by Goldensuns and Moon Honey, played a fantastic set that gave attendees a beautiful, shimmery glimpse into the L.A. music scene.
The night started out with Goldensuns, a three-piece band who writes, records and produces their own music. Now, the opener’s opening band isn’t always that great, but Goldensuns killed their short set. Singer and bassist Chase Meier has a unique voice that easily settled among the instrumentals of his band mates Weston Meier (drums) and Jantzen Meier (guitar). Their stage presence was casual, yet intriguing, and admittedly I’m a sucker for danceable indie-electro pop. The band walked off the stage and left fans begging for more, which is all you can ask for in an opener.
Moon Honey was next to take the stage, and their presence gave me a quick rush of nostalgia – I realized immediately I had seen the band before. How could I forget such an eclectic group full of sonic ambiance – I certainly couldn’t forget lead singer Jessica Ramsey, dressed in a black one-piece adorned with white tassels and a headdress to match.
Psychedelia is where Moon Honey makes their home, and in it they build elaborate songs with wheeling guitar riffs, rhythmic drums and haunting vocals. Equipped with a rather unusual, but altogether fantastic, voice, Ramsey captivated patrons with an ethereal presence. She sunk into elaborate lyrics as band mates Andrew Martin (guitar), Logan Baudean (drums) and Anders LaSource (keyboard, synth bass) came together in a cohesive way only to fall apart into a mass of wild and entertaining energy.
Of course headlining band SWIMM brought their own interesting vibe to the stage. Chris Hess and Adam Winn make up the psych-pop duo who started the night with a rather odd poem, but the fans dug it. Hess stood at the edge of the stage with a tattered piece of paper in hand and towered over his audience to bask in the indulgence of their presence and his words. The band slowly chimed in and they began their set with all the confidence of the best pop divas. The crowd loved it and SWIMM knew exactly who they were catering to.
There was something to be said about SWIMM’s bout of confidence and self-awareness on stage. They know exactly who they are and what they’re about, even if you don’t. Judging by the crowd, fans certainly got it. Of course, every band has room for a cover song including SWIMM who sang a cover of the R&B song “Love You Down.”
The band ended the night full of attitude, and everything from lead singer Hess’s clothing – a crop top and pants reminiscent of Prince’s “Kiss” attire – to the band’s saunter on stage oozed with L.A. confidence. Though the band isn’t originally from Southern California, they’ve seemed to fully embrace the West Coast/L.A. vibe which the Echo and fans appreciated.
Source:: SWIMM takes over the Echo with help from other L.A. locals