By Andrew Bansal
September 22nd 2013, The Complex, Glendale CA: No matter how jaded the average Los Angeles concert goer might feel due to the plethora of live music on offer on a daily basis, in my opinion there’s something new to be experienced every night in LA, the land of live music. Most often you get to see a new band you’ve never heard of, provided you turn up to a show early enough, but it’s rarer to experience a new venue as most shows take place at the usual spots on the Sunset Strip, Silver Lake, Orange County, Pomona and the likes. Last night was an exception, even for someone like me, as I got to attend a show in Glendale of all areas, at a place called the Complex. Not only for me but for a majority of the crowd this was their first ever visit to this venue, and with bands like Windhand, Pendulous and A’rk on the lineup for this show presented by local underground promoters EarSplitters, an intriguing evening beckoned us all.
I arrived at 9:20 and thought I would already have missed half of the opening band’s set, but as it turned out things took a little while to get going. There was a sizable queue of people waiting outside, the doors opened at 9:30 and the venue filled up pretty quickly. The Complex carried an interesting vibe to it, that of a dark, secluded, but feel-good hipster hangout. The drink prices were quite similar to those on the Sunset Strip. The atmosphere was a great fit for this doom metal show.
The first band A’rk, a desert doom/sludge outfit from 29 Palms California, took the stage a few minutes past 10 PM and played a 25-minute set. I thought they were a worthy opener and their set was a good way to start the show. Out of the few tunes they played, I enjoyed the more progressive tunes wherein they played quieter parts with minimal drumming which then transitioned into heavier segments. They found it hard to get the audience’s attention as most people preferred to catch up with friends and buy drinks at the bar during this band’s set, but that wasn’t a reflection of their performance.
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After a 30-minute wait, Los Angeles’ very own doom quintet Pendulous began their sensory assault and completely mesmerized this audience. All the chit-chat and yelling amongst people ceased very rapidly as soon as Pendulous got into their set. Their compelling brand of murky, depressing and haunting doom metal captured each and every individual present inside this venue and held them captive for the entirety of the set. Because of the nearly zero stage lighting, this Pendulous set became an experience meant more for the ears than the eyes, which actually turned out to be a good thing. This band’s music has a sort of ritualistic, meditative quality, to the extent that you could close your eyes and let your ears and mind soak it all in. That’s exactly what I did, and the only thing that snapped me out of this spell for a brief moment was the vibration of my cell phone. Lesson learnt, keep cell phone on complete silence for the next Pendulous show. In all honesty, this performance was one of the trippiest experiences I’ve ever had at a show, and I highly, highly recommend Pendulous to those who have the patience and inclination to absorb this kind of musicianship.
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At 11:55, the headliners Windhand hit the stage and their music was not only great for this setting in itself but also ended up being a good follow-up to Pendulous, similar to that band in some ways and contrasting in others. Windhand strikes a brilliant balance between the female vocals and the heavy guitar sound, and this balance was there for everyone to witness in this live setting which amplified and enhanced it even further. This set was a relentless onslaught as they played one tune after another, the impact on the audience heightening all the while. The band hails from Richmond VA which surprises me as there hasn’t been a doom metal outfit from that part of the country visiting us in LA since as far back as I can remember, but they released their latest album ‘Soma’ via Relapse Records and are currently on a full US tour. I have no doubt they are making new fans in every city they’re visiting, and we in LA will certainly see more of them in the near future.
facebook.com/WindhandVA
windhandva.bandcamp.com
Overall, this was a nicely organized show by EarSplitters and unlike most of the smaller shows I’ve been attending lately, the turnout here was excellent, which I was glad to see. Aside from the slight delay at the start, it was a worthwhile experience for all attendees and I can foresee this being the new hangout for the Los Angeles underground metal scene.
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