By Seamus Simpson
Photographs by Laurie Scavo
What an entertaining night. That is the best way to preemptively describe my experience of seeing Autolux at the Echoplex. I wish I could leave it at that, but I suppose you want more in-depth analysis. I will try to fill in the lines between drinks that I downed and the noise that attacked my ears. After showing up with a couple friends we realized the show was actually sold out, so there was the awkward situation where I made my friends fight to the death to see who stays and who goes. The guitar player beat the drummer. Who knew? Onward we went, with the drummer a bloody mess on the sidewalk.
I missed the DJ set which to be honest isn’t really missing anything all.
“Look at me!”
“I play songs on my ipod.”
“I’m a DJ.”
Pfffft.
Whatever. Don’t quit you day job buddy.
So my partner in crime for the evening and I sauntered up to the bar and ordered drinks. Shots for me and beer for him; to each his own. This, as it turned out, was a really good idea considering what we going to be submitting to for the next 45 minutes. Which is listening to the Soft Moon.
The Soft Moon started out strong with a very dark and sinister vibe. They are three-piece with bass, guitar, and keyboard player doing drumbeats and general noise. So you kind of get the picture. Let’s just say it is pretty easy to say these guys listened to lots of Depeche Mode and the Cure growing up.
So I was taking a piss when they started and from the bathroom all things sounded good. Then four songs in I realized two things a) he really was going to use that vocal effect for the entire set, and b) I was listening to the same song over and over. It should be noted that any band coming up that relies on a vocal effect to mask their bad singing should just find another singer.
I really wanted to like the Soft Moon much in the way I really wanted to like A Place To Bury Strangers, but in both instances the bands make really cool noise but take me nowhere. I need a song to take me from Point A to Point B. I don’t need songs to start a point and never leave the garage. That said if you are a big fan of bands like A Place To Bury Strangers then you should check this band out.
After a few more shots to wash away the taste of drone and after making the social faux pas of telling an old friend of mine who I hadn’t seen years exactly what I though about the Soft Moon, only to find out they were friends and that was to only reason he was even there, Autolux came on.
What can I say about Autolux that hasn’t been said already and more eloquently by other people? They are one of the most consistently good live bands in LA. I have never seen a bad Autolux show. Even when I had to sit in 100 degree weather to watch them in the street in Pasadena they were great.
I was excited to hear the new material of Transit Transit and it did not disappoint. After opening with "Sub-Zero Fun" they went right into new cuts of the album like “Census” (my favorite), “Highchair,” and “Spots.” The live version of “Headless Sky” was incredible. They have such deft way of making beauty out of what seems like just strange noises. I was mesmerized by the magic that they do so well. After a well-played set the band did a mini-encore starting off with “Turnstile Blues,” which had the crowd erupting into screams of joy. I was a little rattled at that point and excused myself to the back of the bar to enjoy the last remnants of the night, and also to try and spot the lovely photographer Laurie Scavo who happened to be my ride home. [In defense of our photographer’s honor I feel compelled to note that no matter how inebriated, Seamus is always a perfect gentleman. –Ed.] Which consequently I remember nothing of, but I did wake up in my own bed so I must have made it.
More photos on Radio Free Silver Lake's FLICKR.
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