Most shows share a few of the same components: an opener, a headliner, an audience, an aesthetic. But it’s the differences between these pieces that create a whole experience. On Thursday, October 6th, an LA-based indie-rock/jam-band called Warpaint headlined at the Paradise. Detailed below is one of these experiences.
Venue Vibes: A queue of jittery fans formed in front of The Paradise just before their doors opened at 8pm, one that extended past Goodwill, BurgerFi, City Convenience. As the clock struck eight, the line dwindled and as if it was exosmosis, fans slowly spilled into the two-tiered venue. The space was crowded, but accommodating– perfect for an intimate night surrounded by strangers.
Listeners: The Paradise definitely saw some dads in the audience last Thursday, but that’s to be expected from any kind of jam band. The rest were an assorted lot of listeners, varying in genders, ages, races, pot-smoking habits, and dancing abilities. But one thing was apparent about most everyone who came out to the ‘Dise that night: They were flippin stoked to see Warpaint. The crowd even enthusiastically welcomed the not-totally-on-genre openers. Overall, vibes were posi. And at some point in the night, if you were at that show, you were dancing.
Opener: Facial, a 3-piece, Sex Pistols-esque band from LA started their set around 9pm, with echoey, loud vocals and thrashing body movements. While any of the three could and did easily switch instrumental/vocal roles, some of their on-stage banter was not particularly endearing. For example, introducing a song with, “It’s gonna be pretty fun and aggressive,” does not get me stoked for it. But for a good mixture of the crowd up front by the stage, Facial provided a vigorous energy. They played a cover by Mad World by Gary Jules, and even then the crowd seemed into it. And by the end of their set, a few dads were seen getting groovy (if you wanted that mental image).
Stage presence: It’s always a good sign to see a band having a frickin’ blast together on stage. Taking turns on vocals and rotating different instruments during their set created a sense of equality and camaraderie among the quartet. In fact, this quality along with the band’s obvious perception of musicianship was what made Warpaint stand out. It was so cool to see bassist Jenny Lee Lindburg make faces at drummer Stella Mozgawa all while ripping sweet riffs. It was refreshing to see how friendship had manifested itself on stage between those four talented musicians, and to know that they are very much appreciated by their fans.
Sound/Arrangement: When four intimate and wildly talented friends– friends who aren’t afraid to have fun with their band– take the stage, the resulting sound is equally intimate and talented. Warpaint’s brand of psychedelic rock isn’t necessarily high energy, but songs from their newest album, Heads Up, definitely leave an impression. Seeing Mozgawa on drums was incomparable, even as she took to the MIDI pad on “Hi.” Lindburg played her Rickenbacker with a smooth complexity, and showed versatility when she switched to guitar on “So Good.” And even though Emily Kokal and Theresa Wayman took equal turns with lead vox and guitar, their individual sounds were defining, especially on songs like, “New Song,” and “Whiteout,” where both got a chance to shine. Overall, this notion is pretty representative of the foursome’s general sound: both unified and distinct.
Crowd Favorite: This one’s probably a tie between “Undertow” and “Elephants,” both off The Fool (2010). And on both, the crowd knew exactly which songs were starting after the first or second notes. Honorary mention goes to “Love Is To Die,” their successful single off 2014’s self-titled album.
Show Stopper: Warpaint’s overall sound didn’t vary too greatly Thursday night (or any other night)– every tune kind of just stuck with the moody, post-punk/jam band sound they’re known for. But the ninth song of their set, “Beetles” (off 2009’s Exquisite Corpse) was definitely a change of pace among the sixteen song long setlist. With opening lines like “Where am I, why can’t I just get it together? Fuck it, where’s my shit?” this song just brought up a more raw, punching sound comparatively.
