By DONNA BALANCIA
A Place to Bury Strangers made new friends and lit up longtime fans at The Regent Saturday night.
This show had it all. Smoke, smashed guitars, great drumming and an incredible light show that involved swinging industrial fluorescent tubes and jumping into the audience.
“I love Sonic Youth, but these guys are like that only more physical,” said one concert-goer. “I thought they were amazing.”
Taking Performance Art to New Levels
Oliver, Dion and Lia took it to new levels on Saturday night as A Place To Bury Strangers delighted the crowd in downtown LA. The band should be called Industrial Light and Magic because that was the result of their hour-plus-long set that lit up the crowd and brought excitement to the packed house.
Swinging iridescent bulbs, flashing strobe lights and blasting psychedelic wall projections were the order of businesses for this popular New York band.
At A Place To Bury Strangers Show, Fear Lurks
If you were up close next to the stage, fear held your hand. Continual blackouts and the sudden popping of bright strobe lights made it difficult to tell where Oliver would hurl the next drum or guitar. By day, he is considered one of the finest guitar pedal makers in the business with an illustrious clientele. By night, he smashes guitars to bits and runs around on stage.
Dion, meanwhile, led the band off the stage and into the audience and took the crowd for a little stroll around The Regent floor, all under glaring bright spot lights. Lia is one of the most ferocious drummers out there, complete with the talent to make this band work. Her facial expressions are priceless and underscore the dramatic songs.
Collateral Damage of ‘Bury Strangers’ Show
It was one of the most remarkable showings of performance art witnessed at The Regent in a very long time.
A pile of broken guitars and worn-out moshers were the collateral damage after the exhilarating headline set.
People got their money’s worth even at double the price. The night was a success on all levels with three fantastic bands on the bill. Rarely are all three sets so compelling as those on Saturday night.
Prettiest Eyes Captures the Audience
Kicking off the evening was the local favorite Prettiest Eyes, powered by the drumming of Pachy the keys of Casanova and the “Latin Tom Jones” himself, the cowboy-hat sporting Marcos. Their impassioned performance of upbeat and dynamic fuzz tones earned them new fans as longtime followers noted continued growth as a band.
The Prettiest Eyes guys have become super tight as their trajectory to success continues its upward momentum. We first saw Prettiest Eyes at Desert Daze a couple of years back and since then the band has developed its musical performance as well as a large fan base. Prettiest Eyes is confident and plays their special brand of music the crowd has come to know and love.
READ ABOUT 2018 DESERT DAZE LINEUP INCLUDING A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS
Sextile: ‘Bound for Fame’
We have said it before, but Sextile is bound for fame.
Brady Keehn is everything a frontman should be. He’s good-looking, he moves like a tiger around the stage ready to pounce at any given moment, his voice is strong, and he’s down-to-earth and real. He enjoys the fans and is not too big to oversee the merch table after the show – Smart!
Melissa the Sextile’s drummer keeps the band on track with her demure yet aggressive style. For a band that seems so serious on stage the duo has learned to cope with the ups and downs of music life and still keep a smile.
The new guitarist in the band is Jeffertitti, an excellent addition. His physical style and fun, go-for-it attitude adds a new dimension.
Great Performances, Solid Music and Memories
If the bookers put together shows like this more often, maybe the music business would not be in such bad shape. With A Place To Bury Strangers, Prettiest Eyes, and Sextile it made a cohesive night filled with memories and remarkable music.
This is what it is all about: Innovation, good music and great performances.
