The Wombats

(written August 5th, 2016, live review and photo gallery featured in issue 3 of Uncover)

"Whenever we come to Santa Ana, we always seem to have a great time!" lead singer Matthew Murphy yelled after finishing the first song. And a great time it was indeed.

The Wombats: An English trio that know how to put on a show. Using a fusion of indie rock and pop similar to that of bands such as Two Door Cinema Club and The Kooks, The Wombats have taken rock music to another level. Formed in Liverpool in 2003, the band comprises of Matthew Murphy (lead vocals, guitar, keyboard), Daniel (Dan) Haggis (drums, percussion, guitar, keyboard and backing vocals) and Tord Øverland Knudsen (bass guitar, guitar, keyboard and backing vocals). "A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation" (2007)  was the album that started them out, following with "This Modern Glitch" (2011), and "Glitterbug" (2015) which both hit #2 on Australia's top album chart.

It was August 5th when I got to The Observatory in Santa Ana, and the line was almost out of the parking lot to get in. This being The Wombats last show of the tour, I wasn't surprised to see the amount of fans eagerly waiting for the doors to open.

After experiencing the chill vibes brought on by Coast Modern, The Wombats opened with "Give Me a Try," blue and pink lights flooding the entire venue. The crowd immediately began moshing: all the energy being thrown out by the band was doubled and thrown back by the people of the pit. The entire Wombats set was a blast, with fan favorites such as "Pink Lemonade" and "Kill the Director," everyone from the floor to the balcony was having the time of their lives. After leaving the stage and being called back for more, The Wombats joined back for a 3 song encore, starting slow with "Isabel," moving on to one of their most popular songs "Greek Tragedy," and ending with a fan favorite you can't help but dance to, "Let's Dance to Joy Division." By the end of the night, everyone was buzzing with adrenaline, and I had experienced one of the best shows of my life.

If you ever have the chance to see The Wombats, I highly recommend snagging some tickets. Whether you are in the front or in the back, this English trio will show you a good time.

Check them out here: http://www.thewombats.co.uk/home/

Smashmouth

(written July 20th, 2016)

To most people, Shrek and Smashmouth are two words that are often associated with each other. 

And rightfully so, the American rock band hailing from San Jose not only contributed to songs to the movie but are most best known for doing so. Quite frankly when asked if I wanted to attend their free concert at The Grove in Los Angeles, I was a bit reluctant because I only knew the two songs. Nonetheless, a free show is a free show and The Grove is a beautiful place. 
When we arrived, the opening act had already begun and there was a bigger crowd than I had expected. People were spilling out of the actual designated standing area while others crowded around the fountain that was across from the stage. The view from there was not exactly ideal so a friend and I decided to try and get closer. 

As the opening act finished and the set up began for Smashmouth, more and more people started to show up. When the band actually started playing, people kept trying to push their way through to get closer to the front. A group started a conga line and others joined in, hoping to weasel their way to the front. As the set progressed, a group in the middle began an actual circle pit. The concert camera panned all over the crowd showing people with Shrek masks over their face. Despite not knowing many of the songs being played, I found myself enjoying the concert and dancing along to the music. When they did finally play the two songs from the Shrek soundtrack, people went wild. The set ended with their hit, Allstar, and fingers and thumbs were shaped into ‘L’s as people sang along. Although my viewing angle was not the best, the music still carried itself throughout the Grove and people who were shopping even stopped to standby and watch. 

I’d have to say that Smashmouth really does put on a good show and that I received way more than my money’s worth. 

The Frights

(Written May 14th 2016, photo gallery of The Frights can be found in Issue 3 of Uncover)

Four bands, four amazing sets, four days of sore muscles. 

On May 14th, I arrived at popular Santa Ana music venue, the Observatory, not knowing what the night was going to hold. Of the four bands playing, I was familiar with two but was mainly coming to see The Frights. It would have been the third time I would be seeing them perform, but an untimely stomach virus caused me to miss their set at the Echoplex on Valentine’s day. If you are not familiar with them, The Frights are an American surf punk band from San Diego, California, who consists of Mikey Carnevale (guitar/lead vocals), Richard Dotson (bass/vocals), and Marc Finn (drums). 

The night started off with the LA punk band, No Parents. From the very first strum of the very first song of their set, the crowd went wild. Even though I had never heard of the band, I moshed, danced, and screamed along to the music laughing as the lead singer, Zoe Reign, shaked his hips to the songs. Halfway through, he called for a wall of death and the mass of people in the pit charged at one another while the sound of drums banged in the background. Before their set, my friends and I were standing in the center of the pit area but by the end, we were smashed against the wall. 

To be quite honest, the entirety of SWMRS’ set is a blur to me. I barely had time to compose myself after the first band and by the time they started, the crowd went wild again. All I remember is trying desperately to cling on to my friend’s hand as the people around me pushed and pulled at each other. Breathing had become a problem and as they kept rocking on, we decided it was probably best to take a breather (literally) after they finished playing. That proved to be difficult, though, because it seemed liked everyone else in the pit had the same idea. 
After clawing ourselves out, my friends and I managed to cool ourselves off in the lobby area, our shirts drenched with not only our own sweat but that of others as well. 

We came back as The Frights took stage and getting back into the pit proved to be harder than getting out. The stage lights and the movement of the crowd proved to be so disorienting that I could not even enjoy the music because I was attempting to stay alive. The amount of times I was kicked in the face and the beer poured down my neck was enough to get me to me give up and try to get out. Fortunately, it was less difficult this time around because whatever higher power exists above us sent a blue-haired punk girl to pull me out of the Pit of Hell. 

Watching from a distance was proved to be enjoyable because I could actually sing and dance along without having to dodge the flailing body parts of the others around me. The Frights are truly one of the best bands to see live. Their energy and their sound makes all of the above worth it.

The lights, when seen properly, were actually pleasant and illuminated the faces of the bandmembers in cool greens and blues. The music, the lights, and the atmosphere all seemed to blend together nicely like watercolor painting of the ocean. (Which I would say is fitting for a surf punk band.)

And after three amazing sets, FIDLAR, the actual embodiment of skate punk, took stage. 
If I thought the crowd was wild before, it was nothing compared to how they reacted to them. Every single person in the venue was singing along like their hearts depended on it, those in places other than the pit started moshing, and we all became one with the music.
Guys and girls danced, people were giddy,and the music played loudly. All of this reminded me why we put ourselves through the tumultuous crowds and rude people, through the spilled drinks and bruised arms. Music draws us all together and allows us to open our ears and not think. At one point, everyone was told to sit down and simply listen, creating a moment of serenity amongst a night of chaos. 

But as all things do, the night came to an end. Overall, I’d have to say that it was one of the most memorable and wildest shows I have ever gone to. The bruises I had days after a reminder of that. Be sure to check out the bands below if you want a taste of punk music, and be sure to catch them at a show for a wild but memorable night!

No Parents: http://www.noparents.la/

SWMRS: http://swmrs.com/

The Frights: http://www.thefrights.com/

FIDLAR: http://fidlarmusic.com/

Catfish & the Bottlemen: Unplugged

(written May 4th, 2016, also featured in Uncover)

If you know and love bands such as The 1975, Arctic Monkeys, or Circa Waves, this group of English cuties is a band for you to check out. Catfish & The Bottlemen, an indie rock band hailing from North Wales, formed in 2007 and has been climbing the charts ever since. Their album such as "The Balcony" hit number 10 on the UK Album charts, and number 9 on the US Alternative charts. Their new album "The Ride" is set to release May 27th.

For those who don't know, the band consists of Ryan Evan "Van" McCann (lead, guitar), Johnny "Bondy" Bond (guitar), Benjamin "Benji" Blakeway (bass), and Robert "Bob" Hall (drums). Around about 7pm, Van and Bondy hit the stage for a small acoustic show, exclusively for those who preordered their new album, which you can preorder here:

http://www.catfishandthebottlemen.com

It was held in a music store known as Fingerprints, in Downtown Long Beach, where bands such as The 1975, Cage the Elephant, and Grizfolk have preformed as well. It was my first time here, and I fully recommend checking this record store out. Not only do they often have acoustic shows, their selection of music is one of the most diverse selections I've seen in a store.  Packed into the back of the record store, fans from all over cheered and screamed as Van and Bondy walked on stage. They smiled and waved back at the enthusiastic fans, and sat down with their acoustic guitars to start the show. Once the first few chords of their song "Cocoon" started playing, the crowd immediately started singing along, swaying to the beat of the song.  The entire performance was completely intimate, and it was nice to hear what is usually heavy guitar riffs of their indie rock music turn into the beautiful sounds of a guitar and a voice. Through most of his time singing on stage, Van had his eyes closed, lost in his own music. Every once and awhile he'd pop open his eyes and scan the crowd, pausing to sing to the fans in the audience who were singing right along with him. Every little smile or high note hit was enough to make the audience swoon and break out into small cheers.

After ending with their hit song "7", Van and Bondy left the stage to join the rest of the band in the front of the store to start the meet and greet. The once organized crowd suddenly turned into a giant mass of people gravitating towards the front of the store. By the time I got to the front, I have had waited almost 2 hours.

The entire night was exciting, and it was fun to see Catfish preform in such a laid back atmosphere. If you ever have a chance to see an acoustic show, I highly recommend taking the opportunity. If you love yourself some indie rock, and enjoy overly enthusiastic crowds, make sure to snag some tickets to one of Catfish's live shows.

Check out Catfish and the Bottlemen's setlist of the night below!

SETLIST:

Cocoon

Catherine

Fallout

Business

7

Catfish & The Bottlemen