By: Jon Harrison
On a steamy Houston night, Los Angeles band La Luz would be coming through to White Oak Music Hall to play for the first time in several years. The surf rock female-fronted band has been on my radar with some very laid back tunes that I’ve come to enjoy listening to on the day-to-day grind. This show was certain to be a real treat for not only my listening ears, but also the fans attending. For the first time in a long time this would be one of the few times where I could honestly say that I had not been super familiar with the in’s and out's of the headlining band. Funny enough, it made this show unique in many ways that were exciting.
The show would start out with some groovy surf instrumentals to set the tone for the night which was followed by cool tracks like Sure as Spring and I Can’t Speak. Quickly after, I started appreciating the throwback style that this band had in the aspect that it was musicians playing music without a care or worry in the world (which I loved so much). Without a doubt, a highlight of the entire show was when front woman and guitarist, Shana Cleveland, had the crowd split in half to see who could do the best "worm" dance while they played one of their instrumental cuts. And yes, there was a trophy presented to a gentleman that did a very decent worm.
I found myself being so captivated by the keyboard sounds of Alice Sandahl; it felt so reminiscent of broadcast style keys that made my ears feel like they were in heaven. Wrapping up the show was the amazingly beach-like track You Disappear which would end a set that was not only fun and laid back, but also mixed in with pristine instrumentals and the right amount of soft vocals.
This was honestly the best introduction to the band and the best way to experience their sound. Everything about La Luz works in a live setting. Even their work from the studio doesn’t do the music justice when you're witnessing them live. After that performance I am definitely coming back and listening to the band more often now. They have truly gained a lifelong fan out of me.
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