Bad Suns
Thursday, January 29th 2015
Hawthorne Theatre; Portland, OR.
with Maudlin Strangers and Coasts
In the historic, intimate venue located in the notorious hipster Hawthorne
neighborhood in Portland, the indie rock Los Angeles group, Bad Suns, made a
stop in Oregon on tour to celebrate their first album Language & Perspective released in August 2014. This young
group aging from 19-22 years old prove to possess a strong perspective
developing a distinctive, signature sound feeding off eclectic 70’s and 80’s
sounds that contribute to the catchiness of their music.
Not well versed in their music, I was going into the show with an open mind and
ear as a friend of mine shared with me how this band helped her immensely when
going through a rough break-up in the past month. I was skeptical based off
their catchy single “Salt” I kept hearing on the alternative radio station in
Portland that they have the potential to be a one hit wonder type of band but
nonetheless I was hopeful and eager to hear them in person.
The opening bands Maudlin Strangers and Coasts both shared
similar music styles setting the tone with their heavy indie rock sounds that
automatically sent a fun energy to the audience that you couldn’t help but move
to. The running time of the show was extremely efficient with minimal breaks
between sets which was a nice change as opposed to the long hours of delays
in-between band transitions that almost always occurs in bigger venues and more
known headliners. The homey and vintage feel of the venue made for an extremely
personal unique experience for concert go-ers. It was apparent their music
reaches a wide range of demographics with an all ages show ranging from middle
school aged to those in their late 40’s and 50’s.
Opening with their hit, “Cardiac Arrest”, the Bad Suns emitted a charismatic
and high energy performance with a running list of only 11 songs from their
debut album, they made sure to make every song count. They rarely took any
breaks, keeping the audience on their feet and moving for the entirety of their
performance.
Their song “Dancing On Quicksand” deemed to be one of the most personal and
emotional performances compared to the others coming from vocalist, Christo
Bowman. Although the free-spirited, fun-loving vibe is their staple, they
disguise it with blending personal life experiences lyrically making for a
wholesome song track after track.
They wrapped up the show with an encore performance playing their popular
single “Salt” that proved to be the climax of the show and what the audience
had clearly been waiting for. It was clear the passion band members had feeding
off the vibe of the audience. Bad Suns possess a type of multi-faceted sound
that is unique and difficult to ignore as the show steadily consisted of a full
on dance party among the crowd.
Thinking back on the performance, Bad Suns proved they are more than a one hit
wonder as the support of their fans was apparent. Their distinct sound and
smart composition of their music promises that although young and new to the
music game, they possess the tools to become a strong force to the indie rock
genre.
Written by: Kelsey Rzepecki
{Photo taken from the band’s Facebook}
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