Photos and review by NOTES FROM VIVACE
LOS ANGELES – Dum Dum Records celebrated its four year anniversary at The Midnight Hour Records with a musical celebration. The night featured Taleen Kali, Gottlieb, and Sunder.
Dum Dum Records Founder Taleen Kali was on hand to perform and provided some insight into the company.
“Dum Dum Zine & Records has been making zines and supporting bands in the L.A. music scene since 2011,” Kali said. “We’ve loved doing a yearly bday party for the record label for the last four years, and of course the annual Dum Dum Fest at The Echo.”
Kali said there have been some interesting adventures running the company.
“When we first started a record label portion of Dum Dum I just wanted to self-release a few EPs and make some records for my band,” Kali said. “The wildest adventure has been seeing the response from our music community in L.A. when we have shows and parties. Before we knew it we were putting out tapes and CDs from bands who were looking for platforms for their music. It’s amazing to be a part of bringing so much amazing music into physical formats.”
Sunder opened up the night with a sonic blast. The lead singer had a fun quirk of blowing kisses to the audience after each song. When an individual asked a member of the band how they’d describe their sound, the response was, “Dream pop.” Underneath that dream pop, is a layer of music that draws from Depeche Mode. No matter how one describes their sound, it was enticing enough to convince one fan to grab a setlist before the band had even started their final song.
Gottlieb is known for the theatrical onstage performances of lead singer Andrew Pescara that had him bouncing and leaping on stage. If Midnight Records had stage trusses, he surely would have climbed up to the ceiling. Though the stage performances will definitely catch your eye and may have you roaming the floor in a group circle dance, one shouldn’t overlook the meaning behind their songs. Themes behind the songs included an anti-ICE message and about living in a country that just wants you to work and not think.
Taleen Kali closed out the night with a request to the sound guy, “I want to sound like I’m under water.” The band definitely has a DIY ethos as Kali mentioned that all members of the band are involved with Dum Dum Records, “I’ve been doing this from the floor of my apartment for 11 years.”
A highlight of the set had to be the onstage performance of guitarist Genevieve Quiquivix who has the most wild and expressive way of playing that aligned so well with the explosive moments of the set. The band closed out the night with their latest single release, “Crossed.” Via their Instagram page, here’s a heartfelt quote about the song’s inspiration, “I lost my grandmother in 2023, the year we released our debut album, and the song ‘Crossed’ is a personal exploration where I’m just trying to make sense of the loss. Missing my favorite person on earth and wishing I could find a way to commune with the dead.”
As for the Midnight Hours Records, the store is a dual use facility, which sells both music and movies with a backroom that is a music venue. Even though the music venue is enclosed by four walls and a roof, the string lights that hang from the ceiling give off the vibes of hanging outdoors under the stars.