Partying with some jungle animals, #afterthebreak…
Strangeheart @ Los Angeles Zoo
(06/27/14)
Had more of a nostalgic experience than a musical one during this particular event. You see…I hadn’t stepped foot at the Los Angeles Zoo since the 2000s began. I was very young. So, as you might expect, a rush of lost memories began knocking against my head as I stood…waiting at the gates. My biggest question was: “Has our family plaque survived 20+ years without a visit?” My mother bought a space among the many when I was a baby. If I opened up my baby album…there’d be a picture. But how crazy would it be to gaze upon it now?
It didn’t happen tho. The ground was destroyed making the area wheelchair accessible 15 years ago. Bummer. Still a bit bitter.
The park had finished its day program when we arrived; reopening at 7 P.M. for their special adult friendly event — “Roaring Nights”. Interesting gimmick and clever pun. For a Zoo (& Jurassic Park) is pretty much worthless after dark after all. Luckily, Roaring Nights brought new life to the Park I barely recognized. You could take any place, just adding multiple bars, hot / popular food trucks, and a Echo Park act & $20 bucks flies out of my pocket. Staring down random animals was the added perk. Hard not to get distracted walking around the spacious quarters with all sorts of animals around. My favorite moment was when I came face-to-face with a meditating orangutan hidden behind some trees. We locked eyes, examining each other’s souls instantly, building that deep unspoken spiritual connection. My spirit animal.
The main event was Cali’s very own, Strangeheart. A indie pop quartet known for NoHo-Echo Park romantic indie pop. Music to make you dance like a Schultz’s Peanut. The collective were promoting their brand new LP — ‘A Common Theme‘ (Out Now!). Take a listen to “Twice The Man”. You might like it, you might not.
Wanted to be blown away. “Random LA band out roars Lions, Tigers, & Bears…made me say; oh my!”, I wanted to write. Sadly, the truest headline I can come up with from my evening was “Forgettable act with bland vocals made me fall asleep”. Strangeheart didn’t really fit the scene (in the open courtyard by the Elephant Pens) for they performed their set as if they were at the Silverlake Lounge, Echoplex, or a dingy club on the boulevard. Not the scene at all. Hipster indie rock is a sensitive entity. The mood needs to be perfect, otherwise most artists come off whiny. Jeff Thompson’s vocals weren’t strong enough in the open and made me come to the same conclusion. Disappointing performance by a mediocre band.
Regardless of how I felt then or now…the kids closest to the stage really lost themselves in the music. (What friends do for friends is really quite amazing.) All the normal patrons look like they had more fun with the DJ by the carousel or standing in line for the Lobster truck. Not saying Jeff, Brandon, James, Michael don’t have the talent or the passion. They have come this far. Just prefer my artists with that certain uniqueness to turn a courtyard into a stadium. How do you measure success after all? By how many fans you convert.
Sorry for being harsh. I’m normally nice. But this outcome was set in stone when I left halfway through set. I heard everything I was gonna hear in the first three tracks. Wasn’t gonna get any more complex lyrics, hooks, or mind-blowing moments like Jeff performing with some Gorillas. Call it all a bit too safe. Wanted Strangeheart to ROAR & be wild. Was that too much to ask from a midcarder band? Just to entertain. Look forward to a followup in the future.
Upon exiting the gates & closing my car door, I felt incomplete. Johnnyswim kick-off such an amazing month in my life and Strangeheart was suppose to be the show that ended our June Showcases. Now my mouth tasted beyond gross. What was I going to do? My answer revealed itself in the form of a handful of hip hop legends during BET Experience Weekend.