La Luz at The Danforth Music Hall

The all girl surf rock group La Luz opened for Ty Segall, and they worked well as a calm before the storm. While they can be heavily linked to groups of their liking (Dum Dum Girls, for instance), one can easily see why they specifically were picked to open for one of the most explosive sets this year. Their music may be delightful with the occasional catchy beat, but the enjoyment of their set lies mostly within the band members themselves. Bassist Lena Simon coursed the rhythms she churned throughout her entire body, as she found it impossible to stand still. Keyboardist Alice Sandahl would walk away from her instrument and would bust out robotic dance moves akin to something David Byrne or St. Vincent would do. Guitarist Shana Cleveland was the most anchored person there, yet even she would be caught dancing fairly often. The most dynamic member of this set was drummer Marian Li Pino, whose actual playing was ferocious and precise. Every member is tightly woven with their instruments, and all four of these musicians can sing (and do a fine job at it, with their hypnotic harmonies coasting above their music).

Cleveland tried an experiment where the crowd would split in half to form an aisle, as she wished for people to dance up to the front within said space. Not only did the entire audience divide themselves entirely in half (an accomplishment worth noting alone), many people broke out and put on their best dancing shoes. We had many dances, from typical rock moshing to new wave, B-52’s-esque moves (we even got someone going a little Pulp Fiction amongst us). Cleveland offered a free album to anyone who performed the worm, yet no one did (sorry, Cleveland; The ground was way too sticky and icky to pull off such a stunt). Nonetheless, La Luz didn’t let their dreamy music take over their set, as they were all about having a good time. They were very appreciative to be there, and they know how to spark a real sense of amusement amongst an entire crowd. It will be interesting to see where these ladies go from here, but consider yours truly someone who will be doing his best to pay attention to this indie pop outfit.