LIVE REVIEW: Silversun Pickups @ The Observatory, Santa Ana 5/4/12

May 07. 2012 | By Trina Starke

On a day when the music world was mourning the loss of legendary Beastie Boy, MCA, Silversun Pickups took it upon themselves to make sure their Orange County audience experienced a night drenched in wicked rock-jams to pacify our pain.

Silversun Pickups @ The Observatory, Santa Ana 5/4/12

On Friday night the Los Angeles band (Silverlake to be exact) played their second show (minus the surprise LA appearance on Wednesday) since kicking off a mini west-coast tour to promote their third full-length, Neck Of The Woods [Dangerbird Records], which drops this week.

Silversun Pickups @ The Observatory, Santa Ana 5/4/12

It’s been some time since we’ve walked into a venue to find that it’s already skin-tight with only the opening band on stage. Such was the case at The Observatory, which was pulsating from the energy of their hardcore fans, and it was clear SSPU felt it the moment they rolled on stage.

Silversun Pickups @ The Observatory, Santa Ana 5/4/12

Lead vocalist/guitarist Brian Aubert was just as seduced by the concert-goers as we were of SSPU as the band played a phenomenal playlist from their entire catalog including “Panic Switch”, “Catch & Release”, “Well Thought Out Twinkles”, “The Royal We”, and “Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings)” off their latest. Aubert told stories of past even poking fun that he doesn’t typically get “story-tellers” during their shows but he seemed to be mesmerized by the smitten Orange County crowd.

Silversun Pickups @ The Observatory, Santa Ana 5/4/12

Silversun Pickups @ The Observatory, Santa Ana 5/4/12

An image that will forever be emblazoned on our brains is that of a diehard trio of young men just to the right of us that lost their collective shit singing (aka yelling) along to “Kissing Families,” nearly spitting on us which really would have been perfectly acceptable given their passion.

Silversun Pickups @ The Observatory, Santa Ana 5/4/12

Silversun Pickups @ The Observatory, Santa Ana 5/4/12

Finally after nearly two solid hours, as a tribute to MCA only moments before leaving the stage for the night Aubert sounded off, “Gratitude. Gratitude. Gratitude… “ and they were gone.

Silversun Pickups @ The Observatory, Santa Ana 5/4/12

Silversun Pickups @ The Observatory, Santa Ana 5/4/12

Silversun Pickups @ The Observatory, Santa Ana 5/4/12

Silversun Pickups @ The Observatory, Santa Ana 5/4/12

Setlist:
Skin Graph
Well Thought Out Twinkles
The Royal We
Simmer
Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings)
Future Foe Scenarios
Catch and Release
Substitution
Mean Spirits
The Pit
Panic Switch
Dots and Dashes (Enough Already)
Lazy Eye

Encore:
Out of Breath
Kissing Families
Broken Bottles

Click here for more badass photos of Silversun Pickups at The Observatory!

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