On October 11th, Pomona’s concert goers were in for a nice treat when the Glass House hosted The Black Angels and The Dandy Warhols’ co-tour. We were there to catch it and what a show that was!
The kick-off was set for 8pm, when Daiistar took the stage. Probably few people in attendance had heard of the band prior to the show but it is fair to say that anyone who attended immediately became fans. The Austin band released their first album Good Time in September this year, which was produced by none other than The Black Angels’ Alex Maas. If you haven’t heard of them yet, you will soon. Somewhere between psychedelic rock and 90’s alternative rock, Daiistar’s sound hits the spot. From the very first notes of “Star Starter” you know that you’re in for a good time. Alex Capistran’s unique voice combined with the sonic energy of the band is ecstasy for the ears. Daiistar’s vibe will remind you of bands like The Brian Jonestown Massacre, with whom Daiistar will actually tour later this year. For the three nights on this tour that the band played around Los Angeles, they were joined on stage by LA Witch’s drummer Ellie who took on extra percussion duties. Songs like “Speed Jesus” on the Good Time album and the single “Burning Wheel” stood out and are definitely worth checking out.
A little after 8:30, the Texans of The Black Angels climbed on stage as they received a warm welcome from the crowd. They opened with “Medicine” from 2017 album Death Song. The stage visuals were in perfect tune with the psychedelic music. Throughout the entire show colorful designs were projected on the stage, the musicians and the white screen in the background. A majority of the setlist showcased songs from the band’s most recent album Wilderness Of Mirrors, released late last year. Songs like “Without A Trace” or “Make It Known” got the audience in a trance. The Black Angels deliver music for the soul to travel. Here and there during the show, the band played some classics from their first album Passover (2002), such as “Black Grease” and “Young Men Dead”.
Alex Maas (lead singer) started the set playing bass, but later switched to a guitar. Most songs feature three (very) fuzzy guitars which build up to a heavy sound which contrasts with the high pitch voice of the singer. On the right side of the stage, Ramiro Verdooren alternated between the keyboards and the bass. Jake Garcia who occasionally grabs the bass too stuck to the guitar on this show. The band ended strong with personal favorite from the last album, “Empires Falling”.
Around 10pm, The Dandy Warhols took the stage to finish the night strong. The Portland band started with the trippy “Be-In” from their 1997 The Dandy Warhols Come Down. The stage was arranged in a way that the drum set was not hidden in the back, so all four musicians were aligned which is not common but really cool. Zia McCabe alternated between keyboards and bass duties on the left side of the stage. The band had a number of fans in attendance without a doubt, The crowd danced and sang to every song. The setlist was a variety of tunes picked from their entire discography, from 1995 Dandys Rule Ok to more recent material.
Live rendition of classics like “We Used To Be Friends” and “Ride” were exceptional. The band eventually pulled The Black Angels back on stage for nine-musicians extended jam on “It’s A Fast-Driving-Rave-Up With The Dandy Warhols Sixteen Minutes” from their first album. If the excitement was already high, this incredible jam sent the crowd through the roof and into outer space. The band also incorporated a good portion of songs from their 2000 classic album Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia, like the inevitable hit “Bohemian Like You”.
This epic co-tour will keep cruising towards the north Pacific coast, before ending in Texas at the end of October where the bands will perform at the Austin Levitation Festival. This is a must-see show for sure.
THE BLACK ANGELS
THE DANDY WARHOLS
DAIISTAR
Photos + Review by Manuel Gay | Exclusively for Music, Why Not!
