HOXTON BAR & KITCHEN
22ND OCTOBER 2015
La Luz have presence. Fact. Off-stage, they’re a jokey bunch. A tight quartet that don’t take themselves too seriously, still rocking a bit of the Seattle grunge look that has come round again, but on-stage? They sinuously sway and groove to their own sound. Each member making subtle eye contact with the other when it’s time for their solo, or bantering between tunes, laughing and letting the audience be part of their world.
The stage was draped in a red velvet curtain, and framed by a red LED light. It’s the perfect visual metaphor to accompany their sound: surf guitar and doo-wop harmonies of the 60’s with the later insouciance of the riot grrl movement. It’s like Tarnatino and Lynch would fight over them to be their house band. Shana (lead guitar/vocal) and Alice (bass) were like Lennon and McCartney; dressed similarly in monochrome, guitars pointed the same direction. Alice (keyboards) and Marian (drums) were lost in a reverie, completing their ethereal yet meaty sound. They looked smart, sexy and ready to rock.
Manzarek like keyboard flourishes, bass that wandered off into funk territory and pulled back, and drums that Ty Segall (producer of latest album, Weirdo Shrine) would be proud of, all anchored around Shana’s sweet, yet slyly snarling voice made them a mesmerising draw. The crowd were polite, making the right, appreciative noises, but London; it’s time to let your hair down. LOTI don’t always want to be the first ones whoopin’ and a hollerin’, pogoing like Zebedee.
Big Big Blood and With Davey got an airing from the latest album, as did You Disappear and Pink Slime. At times, their tunes felt like they rolled into one another. Not the same, but putting you under their spell. At times, it was broken by aforementioned banter, or solos, or, when the drummer switches it up with a member of the audience so they can crowd-surf.
Their slinky groove filled our ears as we were whisked away on thoughts of California as their self-proclaimed ‘surf noir’ sound jingle jangled and had us swaying in time. We had fun, they had fun. We listened to the album again on the way home. We saw La Luz (The Light) in, er, a new Luz. Live, they simply have to be seen.