True Life: I am overly aware of how awkward my arms are when I attend concerts.

I mean, really. What do you do with your arms? I refuse to wail them around weirdly like I’m auditioning to be the background lyrical dancer for the band, but when I cross them, I look like I’m completely unenthused by the performance. So what I end up with is either the “I’ll just casually hold onto my purse strap for dear life” or “Let me clasp my hands together near my heart almost like I’m praying but not.” I kept wishing I had a drink so that my hands wouldn’t be so stupid and then I wondered if that’s the real reason so many people like to drink at shows.

Those were just some of my thoughts during the Best Coast/Those Darlins show last night.



Best Coast

Regrettably, when Kacie and I first got there, I couldn’t stop incorrectly referring to Those Darlins as Lil Darlins the same way a mom will somehow always be slightly off when they try to reference something their kids are into. They were a great band who deserved to have their name said correctly and I'm glad I was able to see them live. They're very retro/country/punk--pretty eclectic, but they have some really catchy tunes. One of my favorites was "Fun Stix Party." If you can get past the vulgarity, the beat and tempo is really what I loved about it. Plus, it is kind of funny. (Also, that link is the only one I could find for the song. Sorry there's a weird guy trying to mosh alone in parts of the video.)

 Those Darlins were sort of the perfect opener for Best Coast, who were as wonderful as I hoped they would be. Best Coast’s sound is like 50s prom meets stoner teenager meets punk rock girls-- I know there’s a lot going on with that description, but it is truly an accurate encapsulation of their style. I think my favorite moment was when they performed “Our Deal” and the disco ball came on and the whole room was sprinkled with little specks of light. It seriously felt like a homecoming dance and I’m pretty sure the audience experienced the wash of nostalgia like I did.



Bethany of Best Coast. Loved the floral headband.

Overall, it was awesome. One exception might be during Those Darlins when the jerk crowd totally obstructed Kacie’s path back down to our comfort zone (which was near the trash can and close to a ledge that offered convenient seating when our flats gave out on us.) Eventually, she became defeated (which I totally understood as a fellow non-aggressive crowd member) and I acted like I was with the people next to me in hopes of not looking like a weirdo who attends a show alone. I guess I could have always taken out a notebook and lived out that dream of being sassy journalist, Suchin Pak.

Bobb of Best Coast.

Sometime near the end of the opening set, Kacie was able to cleverly follow a group who plowed their way through the sea of rude PBR drinkers and ironic tee-shirt wearers. And luckily, I didn’t have to embark on the doomed-from-the-start search mission for her that would have probably led to my own entrapment somewhere else in the bar. The rest of the night would have been spent politely tapping on shoulders, thinking softly murmuring words like “please” or “excuse me” would be enough to release me from crowd imprisonment.

Ultimately though, we were at a good venue with great music, and as Kacie pointed out, lots of quirky eyeglasses. So basically, it was a good time.