Sometimes, even the greats fail to make their rounds. It’s never a matter of sheer neglect; oftentimes, it’s a matter of circumstance.
Until 2020–12 years into its faithful career as a band—Joyce Manor had never played a proper Vegas show. The Torrance, California-bred indie/punk quintet would announce tours over its long history, but Las Vegas never appeared on a tour flier or festival lineup. Don’t blame it on the band; that’s just how the cards fell.
“Vegas, we’re sorry it took us so long to get here,” singer/guitarist Barry Johnson said after the band’s first string of songs. “But we’re here, and we’re glad you’re here, so let’s have some fun, like they do in Vegas.”
The crowd—comprised of faces young and old; some waiting months to see the band, others, years; dutily applauded.
It was a landmark the band mentioned numerous time—its no-frills discography-spanning set came complete with a Murder City Devils cover. The quintet prioritized energy for the first third of its set–perusing through a wallop that included the very Vegas opener, “Fake ID,” along with the one-two punch of punk fury in “Beach Community” and “Heart Tattoo,” which, not surprisingly, brought out the crowd surfers.
Johnson’s nasal-y vocals were a highlight of the night – even though they were overshadowed by fans’ singing at times. Bassist Matt Ebert’s rolling eighths in “Schley” and “Over Before It Began” came through with crystal clear resonance; and this was all coming from a person in a Dropdead shirt! The dozens of fans provided the energy that the quintet reciprocated–a chemistry that manifested in gusto. Johnson stepped away from the microphone to allow fans to finish resonant lyrics, or simply provide the woahs on songs like “Orange Julius.” “This is the first song on our first record. Thanks for sticking with us since,” he said while introducing the song.
One thing to mention: the quartet kept talking to a minimum. Breaks between cuts were quick, as if the band were trying to cram as much of their songs within their allotted time. Perhaps because of this, the rowdy Vegas crowd was able to witness a chunk of the bands most recent work live. Johnson tugged at his sweaty grey shirt while singing the chorus in “Think I’m Still Love With You.” If Joyce Manor’s mission in playing this set were to make up for a prolonged absence, they certainly achieved it.
Joyce Manor’s openers proved to be a delight, too. Ottawa-based Peach Kelli Pop presented a version of melodic powerpop through a sharp, tight performance. The quartet embodied the charisma of the early Beatles when they were all smiles during the quick punk number, “Don’t Push Me.”
Oso Oso’s intricate indie proved to be a formidable appetizer. The Long Island group highlighted its most recent effort, Basking in the Glow, but there was certainly room for older material. “Call me if you want, we can just stay here,” frontman Jade Lilitri sang during fan favorite “Reindeer Games.” We wish we could have that night.
-Ian Caramanzana
Photos by Hunter Wallace | https://www.flickr.com/photos/hunter_wallace/
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