LIVE REVIEW: Foals @ El Rey Theatre 10-18-10
If a stage diving, drum dueling, and trellis climbing frontman is what you’re looking for in a live show then seeing Foals might be right up your alley. The UK band has been touring the U.S. in support of their Mercury Prize nominated, Total Life Forever (Sup Pop), and last night they took care of bidness in a big way at El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles.
First and foremost Foals is a rock band, and don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. I was unfamiliar with them prior to the release of the delicate, yet sophisticated, Total Life Forever, which is nothing like their debut pop-punk album, so combining the two for a live show made for an epic roller-coaster ride!
The 5-piece band performed a total of fourteen songs, seven from Antidotes and seven from their latest release. Opening with “Blue Blood” (as expected) they also performed “Cassius,” “Spanish Sahara,” and ended their show with an encore of “The French Open,” and “Two Steps Twice” both off of Antidotes.
Aside from the sensational sound quality and stellar vocal performance, the personality of frontman, Yannis Philippakis, is what will stick with attendees. In a light haze of fog and subtle strobe lights, his off-beat antics included striking his guitar with drum sticks, stage driving into the crowd, spraying (and spitting on) the crowd with his beverage, and finally running to the back of the El Rey Theatre only to climb down from the balcony railing dropping into a maniacal frenzy of fans.
Being that Foals is relatively new to me I had no idea what was in store for the night, but I had read that their live show was not to be missed, now I know why, and agree with my predecessors. Foals is a phenomenal live act and are as amazing live as they are in the studio.
photos by F. Palmer
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