I fucking love BRONCHO — even though I can never understand a word lead singer Ryan Lindsey is singing.
Friday night the band headlined the Moroccan Lounge, bringing their Jesus-and-Mary-Chain-on-ketamine vibes with them. You’ve probably heard their songs in various HBO and Netflix shows (notably the Judd Apatow-created LOVE).
Lindsey’s vocals are totally unique and so is his stage presence. Between songs, he would keep things moving by chanting weird things and strumming his guitar, allowing each song to bleed into the next without much silence.
They kicked their set off with their newest single “Get In My Car” — an upbeat jam that really personifies everything great about BRONCHO.
The band dealt with some technical difficulties early on. The posted set time had them taking the stage at 10:30, but they didn’t begin their set until 11:10 or so, incense burning in the background. Fans grew anxious, cheering and clapping at the band’s soundcheck as though they were real songs. The first handful of songs had some really bad feedback. In fact it was so loud between songs at one point that a girl screamed bloody murder twice at the top of her lungs.
The band recovered gracefully, however. They played a marathon 23-song set, although most songs are between two and three minutes. “Two Step” has a melody reminiscent of Pearl Jam’s cover of “Last Kiss” and proves they can craft a shoegaze ballad with the best of them.
This is a great show to see when you’re stoned. The way the reverb washes over you is quite refreshing and nostalgic to some of the best music from the ’80s. “I Know You” is another song from their latest full-length record — 2016’s Double Vanity — that would have fit the scene in Lost in Translation that “Just Like Honey” plays. BRONCHO could have scored that whole movie, to be honest.
Lindsey has a regular look — oversized T-shirt, joggers, and he always seems to be chewing gum whenever they perform. It might explain why his live lyrics are hard to make out — have you ever tried singing with gum in your mouth?
The rest of BRONCHO brought a fun energy to the show as well — guitarist Ben King, bassist Penny Pitchlynn, and drummer Nathan Price.
They were a favorite of ours at Music Tastes Good last year in Long Beach and I’m glad I got to catch a full show.
Howlin’ Rain provided support and blew the crowd away with their rock ‘n’ roll sound.
Photos by Tim Aarons
