Tuesday represented one of the major reasons I love living in Los Angeles. A special invite-only show came together showcasing Los Angeles indie folk heroes Local Natives playing atop Angels Point in Elysian Park to about 300 of their biggest Spotify fans — thanks to the streaming giant.
Cookies and weird beverages were provided, as well as blankets to sit down on. Local Natives played a stripped-down acoustic set that was much more intimate than the packed Hollywood Palladium gig they had just played a week earlier. Local Natives are no strangers to delivering these kinds of gigs. Years ago, they played atop a rooftop in Silverlake, stopping traffic in the street as they did it. This was a bit more of a secluded spot than that.
The band played five songs from new record Violet Street, including “Garden of Elysian”, which the band detailed as being a nostalgic tune about the very park they were playing in. It was meta as hell and quite satisfying to witness. Towards the end of the set, a helicopter passed above, adding even more depth to the sound of “When Am I Gonna Lose You” and old cut “Who Knows, Who Cares”.
When it comes to harmonizing, I don’t know if there’s a better band out there than Local Natives. It’s also unique that each member can handle singing lead vocals at different points. Most bands are lucky to have one frontperson that can sing capably.
This one-of-a-kind gig is something that really only happens in Los Angeles, and makes living amongst social media influencers and actors-slash-models who don’t work 9-to-5s worth it.
The band kicks off a European tour tomorrow, making the Elysian Park gig their last in America for a while. Check out the setlist and more photos below.
Photos courtesy of Getty Images for Spotify
