Sporting a tache that would make any ‘Movember’ participant go weak at the knees, lead singer Taylor Rice is the envy of much of the audience before a note has even been played. Thankfully, as Rice and his four cohorts launch into their set, it’s soon more than facial hair which is endearing them to the crowd. On a night when one could pick from a raft of excellent live acts in the capital, it’s a measure of Local Natives’ rise that the venue is packed to the rafters for their visit. Having played the dungeon-esque environs of Academy 2 on their last two visits to these shores, the five-piece express their pleasure of a shift to the Wexford St locale and boy, do they show it.
Opener ‘Camera Talk’ serves as a nice, restrained introduction but it’s with the following track ‘World News’ that the pace for the evening is truly set. With sun drenched melodies and carefully interwoven harmonies, it bears all the hallmarks of Local Natives greatest assests, developing into a rousing piece of work and it finds the audience, who have been packed in like sardines, in fine voice. An extra set of drums at the front of the stage catches the eye but this added percussion is simply the explicit representation of a band who are as tightly knit and cohesive live as they come. Dynamic and energetic, the five-piece bound about the stage, swapping instruments at ease and crafting tip-top, joyous tunes in the process.
‘Shapeshifter’ brings a more reflective atmosphere, building from a brooding lullaby into an emphatic mammoth, while ‘Warning Sign’, their Talking Heads cover, is a faithful adaption, more mellow and polished than the original. ‘Airplanes’, the track which won the band much initial acclaim is an absolute riot live, and is met with pitch-perfect vocals from the audience throughout. Emotive and intricate, yet rousing and stirring it is the perfect example of Local Natives appeal and is simply a wonder to experience live in this intimate setting. Overall some of the polish which characterised Gorilla Manor, the band’s debut LP, is perhaps missing but the Los Angeles ensemble do a commendable job on the whole of translating their cacophony of carefully stacked melodies into an excellent live experience. As the night draws to a close the band announce that a cancelled flight means they’re now free to stay out partying in Dublin tonight and with the euphoric reaction that greets an extended version of closing track ‘Sun Hands’, it’s safe to say that most of the audience will be joining them.
