My favorite photo subject represents at El Rey, #afterthebreak…
Kitten, Tapioca and the Flea, & LIZ @ The El Rey
(06/21/14)
Sorry to leave y’all hanging like that. Needed a break to recoup. Collect my thoughts.
K i T was probably the most fresh act I have covered on the site in awhile. Didn’t really know how to describe them. Had to do my research. Because they are one of those bands that you stumble upon. You can’t really critic it. All you can do is dance. But you know what? It is nice to write about a style of music out of my comfort zone. Oh, Caribbean fusion. Making all the difference.
My point is: you never know what or whom you’ll find on a Los Angeles night. The different tastes are staggering. I compare them to chefs, sophisticated meals, and drink tasting happening in the same area. A tour-de-force of palettes being shaped and altered. Different venues provide new experiences or comfort. Comfort. Yeah. That’s the perfect analogy to seeing Chloe Chaidez (aka KITTEN) for a fourth time at the El Rey. The night was a celebration party commemorating the release of her brand new, feature length, self-titled LP. I knew the meal I was getting: a fresh slab of synth pop from an artist willing to do anything to entertain her litter.
The thing that surprised me this time was Chloe had metamorphosed into a full grown cat over the past few months…now with sharp teeth and claws. Can’t say I was totally shocked. She is the epitome of a musical hustler. Started from the bottom. Paid her dues playing the most seedy clubs around LA for years, always the opening act, until she crawled to this level of stardom. You could tell by the look on her glittered face that headlining in her hometown made this a dream come true of sorts.
Doesn’t mean Chloe is gonna stop there. She is still trying to find herself, but love this new route. Moving away from merely being a front woman with a boy band. She added a feminine feline vocal section who loves to dance as much as she does. She even took a moment to slow down the pop for a second & belt out some raw acoustics here and there. You know, Paramore tricks of the trade. Did Hayley influence this change? Like to hope so. Made for a well rounded & unboring showcase. We experienced all the sides of a musician who puts out the best sexy-futuristic ’80s pop in a requiem of a dream. Only capable because she has a voice like Sinead O’Connor/Madonna equipped with the moves like Jagger on the purest crack cocaine.
She had control over the jam packed crowd within the walls of the El Rey for the full 1+ hour set. The mysterious hands of teenage strangers constantly reached up to claim their Kitten queen. Like a pro, she roll on top of them making them a wave to float upon. No Kitten show is complete without the obligatory stage dive after all. When that Kitten’s adrenaline is pumping…oh boy, something crazy will definitely take shape. Main reason why I keep coming back for more.
Buzzworthy LIZ & Kitten’s friends — Tapioca and The Flea — shared the opening spotlight. Um, they were both okay.
LIZ did her thing. Rolling with some hard looking harajuku girls. If you came across them in a back alley, you might be in some major trouble. They would serve you with their in sync moves, spit a few romantic rhymes, and finish you off with some high range vocals executed well. The young LIZ sits in the same vein as Kitten, but a bit more grounded and modern. Classic R&B is a big influence in her pop music. Gives off a Alicia Keys sort of swagger. Take a listen to her Amazing Spider-Man 2 Soundtrack cut that Pharrell infused:
Makes you want to dance, doesn’t it?
Tapioca continued the trend. For they were indie pop boarding on EDM/SKA. EDM on the track, SKA in the deliver. Or how the guys refer to it as — ghetto rhythms. I found their set to be soft thunder. Quiet but still packs a wallop to the ear drums. Might remind you of Young The Giant or Tokyo Police Club. My lasting impression was that everyone in the building couldn’t stop from their head from bobbing to the beat. Sure it was a bit repetitive. Nothing wrong with that. Strike the chord enough times in a row to make a lasting impression. Watch their music video for their new single, “Take It Slow”:
Walked out with the new team Picksysticks when the curtains closed & lights hazed on. Kitten did more damage to my ear drums. Given. My reward for another show complete were the photos. Have you seen our shots of Kitten? Almost rivals our competition / our friends. Makes going back to the El Rey a guarantee pleasure. Can’t wait for the next battle there. Up next is our two final showcases of the month of June. One in the most unlikeliness of places. Come on back Tuesday for that adventure!