I think the last time I saw a show in the LA Live complex in Downtown Los Angeles was when Steven Wilson was touring Hand.Cannot.Erase. It’s a surreal place. High end chain restaurants, shops, and live concert venues all pieced together in a way to showcase itself as a gathering center for food, art, and media, but really it just comes off as an attempt at a capitalist utopia. The Novo is the current iteration of what used to be Club Nokia, the more affordable venue in the complex, especially when compared to The Crypto Arena or the Staples Center. It was still Club Nokia when I saw Steven Wilson, Mindless Self Indulgence, Reel Big Fish, and a number of other bands back in the early 2010s. Nowadays, it is home primarily to hip-hop and pop artists, as a bartender shared with me, so it was going to be a very different night and a different crowd than usual as Re-TROS, Liars, and Flaccid Mojo took the place over.
Flacid Mojo is fucking unhinged. Imagine all the crunchy, noisy attitude of a punk band transposed to beat machines, analog synths, and samplers. Yet, underneath all the noise are intentionally grooving bass beats that seem to say, “C’mon, Dance. I DARE YOU!” Suddenly, you look at the visuals of pop culture history mixed with glitched subliminal pornography. You realize you’re in Night City at the sketchiest of Scav bars, and this is just the typical background music. These dudes are on to something, and I’m here for it.
I went in pretty much deaf to Liars’ prolific catalog of music, and boy oh boy am I the better for it. Every song felt like a surprise and wove together in a sublime way. They have a reputation for never making the same album twice, which is a pretty intense rep to have. I loved the snarly Nick Cave energy that singer/songwriter Angus Andrew brings. We are here to see him and not the other way ‘round.
Everything was a lead-up to Re-TROS, who came right out of the gate with a burst of energy, hitting some of their most energetic songs from their three albums, starting with “Hailing Drums.” That song has one of the most unrelenting drum parts I’ve ever heard, and drummer Huang Jin let out a primal shout upon ending it. They did not let up the pace until “Billy Cannot Stop,” but only barely, and they did not let up their incredible energy one ounce.
They are easily one of the tightest bands I’ve ever seen, and their set was perfectly designed to showcase their incredible talents. Hua Dong and Liu Min’s incredible capability as multi-instrumentalists was on full display as they wove together keyboards, loopers, and even percussion while also singing and playing their respective guitar and bass. I found myself in awe, wondering if there was any instrument these two couldn’t play.
However, the biggest standouts of the entire concert were “8+2+8” and “At Mosp Here,” which they created live from scratch rather than over-relying on triggering tracks. It was incredible and electrifying, getting the entire already amped-up crowd to move their feet even more. Still a somewhat “cult” band; if this tour doesn’t cement just how good they are, I don’t know what else will. Seriously, do yourself a favor and do not miss them.
