The Local Natives

For any lover of Indie music, Local Natives is a must-see band. With their popularity rising across the United States and Europe, it won’t be long before they start selling out arenas. Their smooth, gentle sound captivates the audience and makes all the worry in the room vanish. Their romantic vibe gave one guy the great idea to propose to his girlfriend in the audience! However, their more upbeat tracks create a great balance between thrill and tranquility. They definitely know how to keep an audience on their toes until the last song.

Local Natives’ transitions between songs are the most impressive aspect of their performance. By doing so, they glide effortlessly through their set. When they transition from one song to the next, it adds an element of surprise. It sounds like they are about to perform a new song, but it makes the actual track even more exciting and fun when the audience distinguishes the opening notes of one of their favorites off of their newest album, Sunlit Youth.

Local Natives picked an excellent time to go on an American tour. With the election just on the horizon, it gave frontman Taylor David Rice an opportunity to give the audience a motivational speech about the importance of voting. He wants to ensure that we will make this world a great place for generations to come. This small speech always comes before Fountain of Youth, where Rice switches out his guitar for one that has “Make America Afraid Again” written on the front. It gives the audience an indication that there is a deeper meaning to the song than simply making change, but the decision we make as a country next week will be detrimental.

Speaking of a frontman, it would be unfair to say it’s exclusively Taylor David Rice. This band offers a unique twist. Many members in the band switch off between different instruments and vocals. Both Rice and Kelcey Ayer play the keyboard, drums, various percussion instruments, and sing lead vocals in several songs. I overheard some fans after the show who were in awe over their talent. Even Ryan Hahn, who usually plays guitar, has a solo in Villainy, which was a really great addition.

The most wild, and probably most anticipated, part of their set is their encore Sun Hands. This song is always their last, and with good reason. At the end of the song, Rice jumps into the audience and crowd surfs while chanting the lyrics. It’s a surreal sight to see Rice bobbing up and down, belting every word, and the crowd being pushed together beyond comfortable limits. While pushing in the pit is usually frowned upon, this is completely justifiable. It’s not only fitting with the simplistic end of Sun Hands, with screaming fans and the single beat of a drum keeping the rhythm, but it also creates a sense of unity between the crowd and the band. It’s a perfect way to end a show, with excitement fresh in everyone’s mind as they leave. From beginning to end, Local Natives can cause their fans a range of emotions, but one thing is definite— they will always leave fans counting down to their next show.