Verdict: Four stars
If a hippy vampire invited me to his dungeon for a party, I would expect him to play The Black Angels.
Their sound is effortlessly cool as it twists both psychedelic and melancholic feelings into songs.
This creates the perfect soundtrack for an undead flower child’s gothic lair, and I mean that as a compliment.
However, having not gotten any such invitation, I settled for seeing the American psychedelic rock band play at the O2 Academy in the city’s Southside last night instead.
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They open with History of the Future setting the trippy dark atmosphere immediately as they use kaleidoscopic projections and strobe lights like lightning on stage.
Frontman Alex Maas' vocals are less distinctive live than on the record tracks but that arguably adds to the mood, they are far away and these are songs to get lost in.
Meanwhile Stephanie Bailey stands out on drums, while Jennifer Raines on keyboard also grabs attention.
Guitarist Christian Bland sounds amazing as he rips through the 16 song set, with stand out hits being Young Men Dead, Entrance Song, and The Sniper at the Gates of Heaven.
The band was formed in Austin in 2004 so had plenty material to choose from as they performed a full catalogue including their latest album Wilderness of Mirrors.
While the songs are moody the crowd is not as they swing each other up on shoulders and scream for more.
The band doesn’t interact with fans much, as they build the hypnotic atmosphere and don’t dare break the trance.
They play it so cool they almost risk coming off cold to the audience. Maybe they know this, maybe they don’t care, and that is maybe what makes them cool.
The show ends with a surge of adrenaline as they play Molly Moves My Generation, cementing the night as the best hippy vampire party I have been to all year.
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Setlist
History of the Future
El Jardin
The Sniper at the Gates of Heaven
Firefly
UKR
Without a Trace
Young Men Dead
Empires Falling
Grab as Much (as You Can)
Manipulation
The River
Entrance Song
Black Grease
Turkish
Snake in the Grass
Molly Moves My Generation
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