It had been about 10 months since I had last been in the crowd at a concert, experiencing first-hand the pure electricity and happiness that live music brings and, unfortunately, the specific electricity and happiness that has been greatly lacking this past year. Luckily, my craving for a full-scale concert would be satisfied on Sunday, December 6th, as I tuned into YUNGBLUD’s Los Angeles date of his “Weird Time of Life Tour” with Wargasm and Royal & The Serpent joining him in the lineup. Although due to the current state of the world, I would be trading in viewing this show at The Shrine for tuning in from a computer screen in my bedroom. Nevertheless, this new experience made me realize that when watching artists like Wargasm, Royal & The Serpent, and YUNGBLUD perform it doesn’t matter much if you’re front row singing with strangers, or enjoying it within the comfort of your own home, the excitement and adrenaline always feels the same.
Opening the show was Wargasm, who came on at 6:00pm sharp. The budding UK rock duo, who describe their music as “angry songs for sad people”, started off their set with their song “Post Modern Rhapsody”. I was immediately hooked to their sound and they set the energetic tone that would carry on throughout the rest of their performance. The two members, Sam Matlock and Milkie Way, both thrashed around the stage in classic punk fashion, headbanging and jumping off the drum set to their second song “God of War”. The virtual crowd was creating a buzz in the chat, either commenting on how much they already loved this band or desperately trying to figure out the names of their songs so they could add them to their playlists. Prior to their last song, a cover of N.E.R.D’s “Lapdance”, bass player and singer, Milkie Way, asked if anyone wanted a lap dance, which garnered hundreds of comments in favor of the cheeky offer. They proceeded to perform a rock take on this song that left me completely stunned. They breathed new life into it that I didn’t even know was possible and mixed it with an exceedingly good stage presence that made you feel as if you were right there in the room with them. They certainly packed a heavy-hitting punch within their three song set, and they were the perfect way to start the show on a high, punk filled note. I’m excited to see what’s next for this eccentric duo and I look forward to continuing to watch them rise in 2021.
After hearing her massively successful song “Overwhelmed” nearly every time I scrolled through TikTok for weeks on end, I couldn’t wait to watch Royal & The Serpent perform live and see how she operated the stage of a virtual show. She came on around 6:15pm, opening with her song “Choke” and highlighting her hauntingly brilliant vocals that immediately caused those in the virtual audience to comment on how much they loved her sound. Not only did her voice have the crowd raving over her, but her vhs-style visuals created an aesthetic that made it difficult to look away from the screen. Having everyone already captivated, she slung a bass across herself and went into her second song “Warn You” before trading the bass for a Fender Telecaster and performing the two unreleased songs “Fanny Pack” and “I Can’t Get High”. After establishing the vibe of the show and having the chat going so fast I could barely read it, Royal & The Serpent decided to amp things up for her second to last song, bringing out Yoshi Flower to perform their new single “Bad Kids”. The duo’s chemistry on stage looked as if they had been performing this song for years, when really it has only been released for a few days. In the final chorus, they both jumped to the beat while singing “we gon’ be alright”, a cathartic moment to watch given what we have all been through this past year. Once Yoshi Flower left, Royal & The Serpent did a quick outfit change while a couch was brought onto the stage. She then began her final song, the critically-acclaimed “Overwhelmed”. Two dancers joined her as the three went into a choreographed dance that made you feel as if you were watching a live-action version of the music video in front of you on stage. The final song was a legendary performance showing Royal & The Serpent’s true artistry and ability to enthrall a crowd, even if everyone in it is behind a screen. I didn’t know what to expect from Royal & The Serpent, but after watching her set I was completely blown away by her raw talent and stage presence, and I will definitely be on the lookout to catch another of her shows in the future.
Photo by Aubree Estrella
YUNGBLUD took the stage a little past 6:30pm, starting with his song “ice cream man”. In true YUNGBLUD fashion he was bouncing and running around the second he hit the stage and yelling into the mic about how much he missed Los Angeles. The audience was flooding the chat with black hearts before the British rocker went into his second song, “weird!”, the title track off of his new album. It was an incredibly fitting song for the current moment that had fans “singing” along to the chorus, typing the lyrics in all caps into the chat. His third song “strawberry lipstick” kept the energy raging before he slowed things down a bit with the emotional, incredibly important song “mars”. He spoke about how special this song is to him and how he will never forget the encounter he had with the fan that inspired it. The sense of community during this song was beautiful, with “#WEIRDISHOME”, “BHC FAMILY”, and “WELCOME HOME YOU ARE LOVED” being typed repeatedly by hundreds of different people. It’s something special when an artist can translate such heavy emotions through their songs and make them easily digestible enough for everyone to consume and relate to as well. After sharing that moment he swiftly picked up the tempo and moved into a much more upbeat “cotton candy”, a catchy hit that describes his personal navigation of sexuality underneath an intoxicating bassline. Fans mentioned how this song helped them realize their own sexuality with one even commenting, “this song is helping me find myself”. YUNGBLUD, real name Dominic Harrison, relayed his feelings towards the hit shouting, “I love that song!” as it came to a close. He then asked the crowd if everyone was ready for a sad one before going into a story about his second to last song “it’s quiet in beverly hills” and how he wrote it in LA, while feeling incredibly lost and dark and being surrounded by all the wrong people. He didn’t remain in this place because his fans brought him out of it, and he expressed his gratitude by saying he will love them for the rest of his life. Continuing on with his fan appreciation, before his last song “teresa” he again shared his love by calling everyone his family and that no one will have to run as long as everyone looks over each other. “teresa” was the perfect ending to his set with him giving everything he had left, even performing on his knees, before he got in a final goodbye and the screen went black.
2020 has been an inexplicably difficult year for everyone, and the way these three artists on the bill brought such a sense of love and community after so many months of isolation and distance was something truly amazing to witness. This show left me with more hope and optimism for what’s to come, and I urge you to tune into one of YUNGBLUD’s live streams in the future to have your faith restored as well. And if grandiose emotions, a sense of community, and personal revelations aren’t your thing, you’ll at least get an hour of great music.
BY: AUBREE ESTRELLA | EXCLUSIVELY FOR @MUSIC,WHY NOT!
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