Ascending to Space: La Luz Live @ The Crocodile
La Luz @ The Crocodile
May 17, 2018
Seattle, Wash.
Words and Photos by Rachel Bennett
Earlier this month La Luz returned to Seattle to debut their third album, Floating Features, released May 11 on local label Hardly Art. It’s the four-piece band’s first release since they moved down to L.A., and with a familiar, but matured sound, the record indicates that the California sun has been beneficial to the band’s creative endeavors.
In the front row of the show, a young man stood clutching La Luz’s Damp Face EP from 2012; “This should be sent into space,” he said matter-of-factly to his friend.
This sincere statement is a testament to La Luz’s music, which stands out from many in their genre. Their surf-rock sounds have a unique moodiness that sets them apart from other artists; it’s not all upbeat riffs and lyrics that are stereotypical to the surf sound, but rather they delve into a darker reality, that in these current nightmarish times, feels all the more truthful. Their lovely harmonies lift the songs into an ethereal dreamscape; their music doesn’t need to be sent into space, it can ascend there on its own.
As always, the women of La Luz upheld their place as queens of rock and roll, shredding with undisputed cool, mediating calmly when an argument broke out amongst unruly fans, and bringing the funk with a bangin’ rendition of the Soul Train dance line. Drummer Marian even let a lucky guy try his hand at her drumset so she could crowdsurf.
The band’s live shows are always full of amazing energy, and it’s very cool to see a deserving band work their asses off, and catapult their career to new heights in a short amount of time.
Shout out to both openers of Thursday’s show; Ancient Forest, a Montana band now residing in Seattle, whose folky-psych sounds definitely enticed me to listen to more. As well as Savila, an amazing band out of Portland whose music is inspired by world, latin, cumbia and r&b. They brought the fire in the form of sultry surf-riffs by guitarist Fabiola Reyna, who is the founder of She Shreds magazine, addicting percusion by Papi Fimbres , and powerful, yet soothing vocals from singer Brisa Gonzalez.
