Throughout the past few years I have always heard the band name, Local Natives, but couldn't tell you one specific song they sang. They even were present at Lollapalooza last year, but I overlooked them in choosing to watch someone else in the Saturday afternoon slot. But when seeing them on a calendar of events for the State Theater in St. Pete, I figured I'd give them a try. I luckily acquired real tickets for face value on Craigslist, as this sold out show had tix reselling for triple figures on Stubhub.
After the first few songs of the show, it was easy to see that I've been missing out on being exposed to this great band. This indie group from Los Angeles came out rocking and had a great crowd backing them. Right away, the fans started jumping to opener "Breakers," and got even louder when the band dove into one of their more well know tunes, "Wide Eyes," early in the set.
Local Natives themselves are led by guitarist and vocalist Taylor Rice, who properly sports an iconic mustache to give off the indie frontman feel. Rice led the crowd through a tour of the bands two albums, hitting all of the most well know tunes. He had the crowd singing along all night. The highlights were "Ceilings," "You & I" and "Airplanes."
One of the most impressive things about the group was their switching of instruments and responsibilities on stage. All members, with the exception of Matt Frazier on drums, seemed to rotate from guitar to percussions to keyboard to vocals and acoustics. This was best displayed by utility man Kelcey Ayer, who provided passionate vocals and sang lead on more Local Natives songs than you'd expect.
While all of the songs sounded great throughout the evening, there was a unanimous crowd favorite. The final song of the night, "Sun Hands," was absolutely epic. This is probably the heaviest song Local Natives has. It almost feels like a ritual as it builds up and gains momentum. The best part is when all members of the band shout together - "And when I can't feel with my sun hands / I promise not to lose her again," before exploding into a jam session. Rice even came into the State Theater crowd to sing a few of the most intense lines. From the fans reaction, it was easy to see that this is Local Natives' anthem, and it sent the crowd home very happy and energetic.
In total, the 18 song set included 7 tunes off the guys debut, Gorilla Manor, and 9 from the sophomore album, Hummingbird. They also mixed in two covers that sounded just as good as the originals - "Warning Signs" by The Talking Heads and "Out Among the Stars" from Johnny Cash.
The overall feeling I took away from the show is that this is one of those bands you have to see live to appreciate. Their music seems mellow going from track to track on Spotify, but their live performance displays an entire new side of the band. I definite recommend seeing them! Local Natives will be busy this summer with festival stops at Shaky Knees, Firefly, Urban Roots, Forecastle, Osheaga, Fashion Meets Music and Outside Lands.
CONCERT RATING: 3.5 Stars
SETLIST:
1. Breakers
2. World News
3. Wide Eyes
4. Black Balloons
5. Warning Sign (Talking Heads Cover)
6. Ceilings
7. You & I
8. Shape Shifter
9. Mt. Washington
10. Colombia
11. Wooly Mammoth
12. Out Among the Stars (Johnny Cash Cover)
13. Camera Talk
14. Airplanes
15. Who Knows, Who Cares
Encore:
16. Bowery
17. Heavy Feet
18. Sun Hands
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