Local Natives - photo courtesy Bandsintown.com
Like a father to a son, I feel like I have tacitly watched Local Natives grow into themselves. Every so often, you find a band that you wish you were in. You wish you were friends with the guys, writing songs, making music. You want to be a part of the process. Over the last year, Local Natives has been that band for me. Ever since hearing of them, I have been convinced of their looming success. It was only a matter of time before they gained enough steam to become a musical juggernaut.
The gestation period for a band must be incalculable. Some bands get a quick start; either sheer talent, or connections jolts them into success faster than others. Some bands work for a decade before commercially, or sonically becoming successful. Some are ahead of their time, and are unable to make it while living, but can release albums posthumously and allow their estates to flourish. But some bands fall somewhere in between.
Local Natives, a Southern California, quintet of harmonizing, multi-percussional, indie rockers, have finally emerged to make a bigger name for themselves. They played their largest show to date, at New York’s Governor’s Island last Saturday, as part of the Gone to Governor’s Island music series. The gestation period for Local Natives has been relatively normal. Like most bands, you form, and play shows, record an EP, and gain local support. Local Natives however, was fortunate enough to create a buzz, and open for Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros last fall. This summer they have proved their worth, playing at some of the major summer festivals as well.
In a business as over-saturated and unpredictable as music, bands have a hard time staying afloat. Amidst swindly record labels, and diminished returns from digital sales, the business is all the harder to remain hopeful and optimistic. But the Local Natives seem to have a spirit of unabashed creativity. Their first album, Gorilla Manor, is a wide spectrum of introspective and expressive songs, releasing what seems to be the “lost boys” in each of the members. The tribal percussion and the multi-part harmonies, conjure what some have described as a West Coast Grizzly Bear. True, they have a similar harmonic sound to the Grizz, or to Fleet Foxes, but certainly those bands have no monopoly on harmonies (See Beach Boys, Beatles, etc.).
The Governor’s Island show may have been the largest crowd they have seen, but they acted like they had been there before. New York is not always an easy crowd to play to, but with the setting sun, Manhattan skyline, or artificial beach, the band showcased their professionalism and thankfulness for the support. Local Natives heads off to Europe for the rest of their tour, and will be back in the US in the fall. I strongly suggest you see them before their ticket prices rise.
Sun Hands – Live
Airplanes – Official Video
