On the evening of Saturday, February 20th, 2016 The Echoplex decorated its stage for a Mexican fiesta as they welcomed Angelino favorite band Thee Commons and the much anticipated Mexican Indie Rock band, Porter. Although the show was scheduled a bit earlier than the conventional time, the spacious low-key venue was packed.
Straight out of East Los Angeles, Thee Commons, known for their very own psychedelic cumbia sound, were recently voted one of the top bands by L.A Record’s 2015 Reader’s Poll. With classic rock influences such as The Doors and Pink Floyd, they pay homage to their Latin roots, while magically blending cumbia with psychedelic, punk and even surf rock. Just like the myriad times they have been on stage, this night was no different. They came on stage sounding raw and full of energy. Complete with a dancing purple monkey, wild animal masks, long funky guitar solos and even a birthday tribute to the late Kurt Cobain.
Considered one of the most critically acclaimed bands in Mexico, Porter is always eagerly welcome in Los Angeles. The Guadalajara based experimental indie rock band visited the US last year with stops at The Roxy in Hollywood and in Chicago for the massive Latin Festival, Ruido Fest. Their multi synthetic elements and psychedelic lyrics gained them two Latin Grammy nominations in 2015, while their most recent album Moctezuma won best rock album for Indie Music Awards (IMAS). Their inspiration derives from mystical indigenous societies and ancient times.
Their long awaited return to Los Angeles finally happened as vocalist David Velasco appeared on stage to join his brothers while holding a burning bundle of sage. A beloved high-pitched voice and indigenous sounds immediately took the crowd to another dimension and put them in a trance. Mixtures of old favorites like “Host of a Ghost” and newer tunes like “Murcielago” and “La China” allowed fans to sing in harmony to every song and allowed ambitious female fans to jump onstage and dance. Although the euphoric, drum-heavy single “Huitzil” was not performed, a twelve-song set left the crowd content.
The opportunities to see these talented gentlemen are scarce. We can never get enough of this contagious band but anxiously await a fast return visit.
