Pop Break Live: Warbly Jets “Propaganda Tour”
with Blackpaw and Collapsing Scenery at
The Echo in Los Angeles, CA – January 11, 2019.
For me, the best part of the 2000’s was the indie rock British invasion. Led by European acts like Franz Ferdinand, the Futureheads, the Libertines, Editors, Maximo Park, and Bloc Party, and American acts like the Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and The Killers, indie rock was given a new face lift. The post-punk revival was kicking, the suits were crisp, and synths were embraced. The rock music world has changed a bit since then – and perhaps not always for the better – but LA-based groups like Warbly Jets give me faith that that little invasion wasn’t for nought.
Kicking off their US tour at the Echo in Los Angeles, Warbly Jets gave fans a taste of tracks off their newest EP Propaganda while taking the time to include old hits. Before hitting the stage, openers Blackpaw and Collapsing Scenery rounded out the night with two interesting performances.
Blackpaw, the solo project of LA musician Adrian Rodriguez, perfectly captured the essence of that early 2000’s invasion of sound. Adrian and his band looked and sounded a bit like now-broken up New York-based band The Bravery – but with more heart. With great attention paid to a stellar rhythm section and catchy synth, Blackpaw gave the audience tracks to never forget. Set-closer “Defenseless” is a sure-fire hit that will make any audience get up and dance.
Collapsing Scenery, however, took a much different approach to their opening act slot. Bypassing the main stage altogether, the group resorted to hanging up drop cloths alongside the Echo’s venue walls. Flashing lights and strobes gave the effect that the, uh, stage scenery was perpetually collapsing – and it was a lot. Clearly inspired by indie techno dance acts like LCD Soundsystem, Scenery channeled old industrial pop and modern performance art. The lead singer, who honestly even looked a bit like James Murphy, stood atop a large wooden box so he was elevated above the crowd as the keyboard and drums behind him pulsed endlessly. People in the crowd were dancing and feeling it by the end – and I admired that commitment at least.
Warbly Jets, clad in skinny black jeans and leather all around, shifted the energy in the room back to that early 2000’s indie scene the moment they took the stage. Lead singer Samuel Shea, despite recovering from a bit of sickness, was moving through the darkness with ease as the guitarist and bassist danced around him. His mop top of curls bounced with every guitar pluck and it felt so incredibly easy to get lost in their performance.
Atmospheric lighting and heavy effect pedals transformed the small venue into an even more intimate space wry for dancing. Tracks like “Alive” awakened those not-quite-dead British indie gods like Pete Doherty and Alex Kapranos with killer guitar hooks and pitch-perfect synth. The title track “Propaganda” from their newest EP showed plenty of influence from Liam Gallagher, who they previously opened for during his US tour in 2016 – and I think Shea even borrowed a bit of his swagger. The song’s unique vocals and drum orchestration is enough to warrant a download – and seeing it live made it only better.
So while it might be easy to think the era of indie “the” bands has passed, Warbly Jets have revitalized that era’s penchant for having fun with melodies, guitars, and catchy synth. The four-piece’s music has the uncanny ability to remind you of dozens of bands that have come before them – but not in a reductive or hacky way. Warbly Jets’ ability to present something fresh while paying notable homage to indie acts before them only makes me excited for anything they do in the future.
