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| photo by p. dunkley |
Don't We Have Anything To Live For?
“Well of course we do, but till they come true, we’re drinking.”
Pretty apropos lyrics for the crowd in attendance at Velvet Jones on a
Monday night to
see Japandroids, the noise rock duo from Canada.
Japandroids emerged on the scene in 2009 with their debut album,
Post-Nothing. With a raw, loud, and reckless sound they came through
Santa
Barbara a couple years back and blew Muddy Waters away – literally. The
music was so palpable I remember my hair moving in the sound. With their
second
album, Celebration Rock, Japandroids gained popularity and were listed
on most of the reputable top album lists of 2012. And their live
performance has
since upped the ante.
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| photo by p.dunkley |
Known for their loud (have I mentioned loud?) and energetic live
performances, Japandroids did not disappoint. The crowd was riotous,
dancing and
singing along to every song. The boys played mostly songs off their
second album, throwing in a few favorites from the first. The highlights
for me were
“Young Hearts Sparks Fire,” “The Night of Wine & Roses,” and of
course, their biggest hit “The House That Heaven Built.”
I would have preferred to have a longer set in a more intimate
setting, like the first Japandroid show I caught. But, alas, with
appreciation comes
popularity, so I am grateful to catch them on their way up. So until the
next show “… we don’t cry for those night to arrive, we yell like hell
to the heavens.”