Tour Dates
08/05 Portugal Sudoeste Festival
08/07 London 100 Club 08/10 Gothenburg Way Out West Festival 08/11 Oslo, Norway Oya Festival 09/03 Seattle Bumbershoot Festival 09/06 Los Angeles Santa Monica Pier 09/15 Victoria BC Rifflandia Festival 09/18 London The Borderline 09/19 Paris Point Ephemere 09/20 Amsterdam Paradiso (Upstairs) 09/22 Brussels Witloofbar (Botanique) 09/27 Cincinnati Midpoint Music Festival 09/28 Urbana, IL Pygmalion Music Festival 10/14 San Francisco Treasure Island Read More Best Coast I've mention this before, but it seems within the last year or so, that Los Angeles' Best Coast duo (Bethany Cosentino and Bobb Bruno) really blew up.
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Best Coast brought along former tourmates Those Darlins and JEFF the Brotherhood who opened for the band earlier on their tour. At first, the bill seemed very much like a game of “one of these things is not like the other,” but there’s actually quite a bit that draws all of the bands together. For example, Best Coast and JEFF the Brotherhood released an EP together in 2011 on Jack White’s Third Man Records. And JEFF the Brotherhood shares a hometown with Those Darlins: Nashville, TN.
Those Darlins
photo by Kelsey Tollefson
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(BUMMER UPDATE: According to a friend, Those Darlins had their van broken into that very night. Minneapolis folks who frequent used guitar shops, keep yer eyes peeled for: a Red 2006 Fender Jaguar bass, matching headstock, Fender Badass II bridge, gash on upper edge, and a white Richmond guitar, Seymour Duncan bridge pickup.)
JEFF the Brotherhood
photo by Kelsey Tollefson
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Before Best Coast took to the stage, I felt compelled to abandon my sweet spot near the stage for a less than stellar view sidestage near the back (a result of ingesting fruity perfume and having to endure more asinine conversations from people around me - i.e. “Like, why is the bear holding the state [in regards to Best Coast’s humorous backdrop being an homage to California’s animal]? I totally don’t, like, get it. But that’s just my opinion. I’m going to Vancouver in two weeks!”). Had I sucked it up and braved those minor things, I probably would have felt more engaged in Best Coast’s sunshine and rainbow-filled performance. Lead singer and songwriter Bethany Cosentino was in good spirits, joking with the crowd about being a little tipsy and asking the crowd’s permission to play a slow song (“Even if you said ‘F**k off,’ I’d still sing it.”). The band was tight, playing old favorites (“Crazy for You” and “Summer Mood”) up against new tracks from their most recently released record, The Only Place (“Last Year,” “How They Want Me to Be” and “No One Like You”) with their trademark fuzzed-out, lo-fi pop sounding fuller and brighter. Something that was sorely missed from the performance, however, were the pretty vocal harmonies that are loaded on their records. And despite Bethany’s knack for writing frothy, fun love songs, I found myself growing a little bored with the musical structure and sentiment and started spacing out. After a few songs, I found myself secretly hoping the bear from the backdrop would step out of its 1-dimensional cage and wreak carnage. Or dance along with the songs. I don’t know. And although I have an affinity for California and all things related to the state (wine, palm trees, smog), I really can’t stomach another schlocky tribute to it.
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