At DTLA’s Belasco Theater, the gilded interiors, red velvet curtain, balcony and stage suggested a place where one could watch plays back in its heyday. Rays of pale blue light lit the stage in a greenish glow, giving a garish modern-day touch to a dated venue. One-fourth of the room was already filled up, and it was clear that they wanted to be front row to catch “Octahate” songstress Ryn Weaver, the headliner of the night.
New York-based duo ASTR opened the show. Dressed in a black cutout bra, granny panty-style booty shorts, Docs, velvet choker and an oversized pale blue and white satin bomber with “Heat Wave” sewn on the back, flame-haired lead singer Zoe Silverman looked like she modeled for Nasty Gal. Producer and multi-instrumentalist Adam Pallin wore black from head-to-toe, with a curly dark brown Einsteinian mop. Armed with an electronic drum kit, pad and a Macbook, it was easy to determine that they were the type of band that would spend the majority of its shows playing at small clubs. During their set, Silverman danced in compact, yet undulating motions in the middle of the stage – almost as if she was auditioning for “Hotline Bling.” Although she did her best to engage with the crowd, Silverman’s stage presence felt forced and the dance moves were gimmicky. Like his bandmate, Pallin didn’t put in much energy into playing his instruments. While the electronic-heavy beats were appropriate for a club, it didn’t feel “live” enough for the theater. The song that brought the crowd to move their shoulders and take some photos was “Operate.” Although ASTR has the talent and potential, they should focus on improving their stage presence.
Afterwards, HOLYCHILD took the stage. Comprised of vocalist/dancer Liz Nistico, and drummer/producer Louie Diller, HOLYCHILD is the type of band that will make you sing in your car, wear your craziest outfit, and pile on tons of glitter. Kicking off with “Diamonds on the Rebound,” Nistico and Dilller were ready to start the party. Despite her petite frame, Nistico’s high-waisted gold pants (later uncovering a pair of black denim hotpants), nude and white striped platform sandals, and neon green wig exuded her larger-than-life stage presence. During their set, the crowd danced, raised their hands in the air, and took some photos. They definitely had some Instagrammable moments. During “Money All Around,” Nistico went into the crowd and hugged at least three fans (including myself!). Then, she stood on top of the bar’s countertop, and the crowd flocked to get a glimpse of her – but the show didn’t stop there. While the band performed “Plastered Smile,” a drum battle between the guest multi-instrumentalist, Diller, and Nistico, brought me to reminisce Night Riots’ gig at Warped Tour, where lead singer Travis Hawley and drummer Rico Rodriguez did the same thing. Closing off the set with “U Make Me Sick,” Nistico turned danced around in circles. With Gwen Stefani-esque vocals and Beyoncé-like dancing, you can sense that Nistico’s talents generated the media’s hype around the band. Given that HOLYCHILD has some buzz from opening for Walk the Moon, the crowd already started to increase to least 50 percent, equivalent to the amount that could fill The Roxy. Considering that the crowd was still waiting for the headliner, HOLYCHILD’s set was undeniably memorable.
As the clock struck nine, hordes of people filled up the floor and a few went to the balcony. Before Weaver showed up, there were drum-heavy beats that signaled the anticipation of the singer’s arrival. Once she was on the stage, the crowd was buzzing, but I could sense that they wanted to hear “Octahate.” Although “Octahate” was the most well known song from The Fool, the fans knew all the words and were prepared to sing along.
Before Weaver proceeded, she gave an anecdote about being “the only one” in her family liking art, and said: “I don’t think it’s cool to try to be different. But if you’re like a little kooky, rock it out.” While she talked like a fairy after smoking two packs, her singing voice was like the way she spoke yet stronger. As she belted “Sail On,” Weaver managed to hit all the notes exactly like the CD version. The live version of the song brought in more life than what was heard in the album. After “Sail On,” fans raised their phones as if it was a Katy Perry concert, and Weaver took at least two phones from the front row, snapping selfies. The highlights of the set were “The Fool” and “Promises,” where the fans sang along and taped it for Instagram. At one point, Weaver mentioned that she got a “weird Twitter request to do a wall of death” and refused to fulfill the request since she planned to sing “Traveling Song,” which was about her late grandfather. Although she did her best to move the crowd, it was a little flat since all they wanted to hear was “Octahate.” When “Octahate” was finally on, the crowd danced, jumped, sang along, filmed, and took more photos. Weaver closed the set with “New Constellations,” a Florence + the Machine-esque ballad that she considers her favorite track. All in all, Weaver was worth the hype, with a superbly captivating performance.