My final weekend in Los Angeles before headed back east for Thanksgiving was an eventful one. Yesterday there was a bar crawl/birthday downtown that took up the majority of the day, and today I was busy running around trying to play catch up on everything that has to be done before my flight tomorrow. On Friday night, I went to see This Will Destroy You at the Regent. It was my first time seeing the band since they played Pico Union Project about a year ago. Since then they released a new album — in two parts — called New Others. I’ve listened to Part 1 more than Part 2 because the latter shipped more recently, but I think I prefer 2 to 1. Both albums were well represented at The Regent, as well as a couple cuts from Another Language, a couple from Young Mountain, the self-titled album, and even one from Tunnel Blanket (“Black Dunes”) which might have been my favorite song of the night.
After the concert a pretty solid night of drinking commenced, steering me from The Regent over to The Varnish (that Old Fashioned tho…), The Standard (I can’t believe they got rid of the ping pong bar), and — lastly — some bar whose name I can’t remember that was clearly closed for a private party. None of the party people were amused when they realized we weren’t invited. Good times!
Some notes from the performance, which I’ll make quick because I have to pack my bags:
- “Sound Of Your Death” — from New Others, Part 2 — was slowed down just a little compared to the album version, which made it sound like a “punkier” version of the Hans Zimmer composition “Time” that appears in Inception. Same chords? Somewhere close to the same chords? Y’all should listen and tell me.
- The Regent really is a great place to see a show. I’ve only caught Car Seat Headrest and now TWDY there, but while the two acts have very different sounds, they both sounded incredible in that room. I didn’t like the acoustics at Pico Union Project. TWDY is far too dynamic for a venue you like that. Teragram was a solid room that they filled nicely, but I think the Regent was the best they’ve sounded in LA.
- I know the band has done the 10th-anniversary thing with Young Mountain and the self-titled album, playing both in their entirety, but they should do the same with Another Language. Those songs (“War Prayer” especially) always sound massive in a live setting.
- Are we ever gonna hear “Kitchen” live?! Those of us who’ve dined at Vespertine want to be able to enjoy it again without having to spend another $800 to hear it.
- “Provoke” was a great way to close the set before returning for an encore.
Setlist:
Melted Jubilee
Dustism
I Believe In Your Victory
Sound Of Your Death
War Prayer
Clubs
Go Away Closer
Black Dunes [MP3]
Weeping Window
Provoke
The Mighty Rio Grande
The World Is Our ___
