Best Coast Live at Royale

By Ross Ketchske

After rocking stages across the country in 2011, Best Coast and Wavves hit the road together this winter, resurrecting their Summer is Forever Tour. This time they brought along fellow California native’s Cherry Glazerr to share the stage at dates across the U.S. and Canada. Back to back sold out crowds at Boston’s Royale were more than ready to welcome the three west coast sensations on Friday and Saturday night, and WERS was there to catch all the unadulterated action.

After sitting down for an interview with Best Coast guitarist Bobb Bruno Saturday afternoon, it was time for the bands to bring some California summertime excitement to mid-February Boston. Cherry Glazerr took the stage first, capturing the capacity crowd the moment they took the stage with an impressive mix of classic new wave punch and rhythm with a psychedelic twist of synthesizers and and west coast groove. The young energetic four piece band left the sold out Royale crowd screaming for more as they exited the stage for the night’s headliners to take over.

Just as it seemed the energy could not get any higher inside a jam packed Royale, California punk rockers Wavves took the stage to blow away the crowd with some good old fashioned raw energy. Their classic punk rock tone and attitude brought on a wave of crowd surfers sailing over screaming in front of the stage. Their head banging and hair raising energy came to a peak with their songs Greams and Grandeur, and Post Acid, which had the ecstatic Boston fans singing along so loud it almost drowned out vocalist and guitarist Nathan Williams. Wavves closed their set with the song Green Eyes off their 2010 release King Of The Beach, combining surfer rock with synthesizers and screaming distorted guitars to cap off a set that nearly blew the roof off Royale.

It was finally time for Best Coast to take the stage, walking out to the theme music of pro-wrestling champion Stone Cold Steve Austin, the hundreds in attendance knew they were in for a show the moment the house lights went down. Despite fighting off illness and being over 3,000 miles away from home, Best Coast energised the crowd even further playing both old and new favorites including “When You Wake Up” from their 2011 split with Wavves. The band brought an eclectic mix of early 2000’s pop punk and light west coast summertime rock to make everyone in the crowd dance, jump, and sing along. Groovy basslines and screeching guitar riffs gave the audience a small taste of 1970’s rock and roll and surf culture all wrapped up into a high energy performance. The crowd sang along to fan favorites like Feelin’ Okay off their 2015 album California nights.

The three bands got right back on the road after their two day stop in Boston, and are making their way to New York, Chicago, and finally back home for five home state shows in California.