Making a great pairing, A Lull and Deleted Scenes made the Echo their first Southern Californian stop during their Winter Tour 2012.

All photos by Owen Ela

A Lull

Deleted Scenes

Opening for A Lull, melodramatic D.C. quartet Deleted Scenes, self-proclaimed “Twee-Psych,” never missed a beat – even when the Echo’s fire alarm mysteriously blasted mid-show. Evoking a more sophisticated version of Weezer’s Blue and Pinkerton albums, their 8-song set rocked with complex rhythm syncopation, atmospheric synth samples, cleaner, crisper vocals and unfailing, stratospheric falsetto harmonies.

With guitar in tow and sweat pouring down his face, lead vocalist Dan filled the room with urgent strumming, bobbing his head, squinting his eyes and feeling the rhythm in his knees. The remaining band members similarly lost themselves in songs that alternated between the more folksy, “Get Your Shit Together For the Holidays,” the energetic “Baltika 9” and the slightly paired down “Ordination Day.” The audience was definitely entertained and Deleted Scenes transformed an otherwise slow night at the Echo into pure emo-angsty bliss.

In a mini interview with the front man, Dan shared more insight about his band. Regarding the inspiration to link up with A Lull through Red Ryder Entertainment, they “found out [A Lull] were going out West and we really wanted to go out west.” This quintet has been six years in the making and can be summed up as “pretty humble guys trying to say something true.” His dream tour line-up would include his band with bands like “Arcade Fire or something loud and emotionally crafted.”

Deleted Scenes are completing their video for “Days of Adderall,” directed by “Let’s Paint, Exercise and Blend Drinks” director John Kilduff. Look for them at this year’s SXSW Festival. Their album Young People’s Church of the Air is available on iTunes.

Deleted Scenes Setlist:

1. The Days of Adderall
2. Baltika 9
3. Ordination Day
4. English as a Second Language
5. A Litany for Mrs. T.
6. Fake IDs
7. Bedbedbedbedbed
8. Get Your Shit Together For the Holidays

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Closing out the night on a high note were the very ambient A Lull. If the tiny Echo were a fishbowl, A Lull’s sound was the water poured into it; the audience swam in the beautiful, larger-than-life sound, that could only be described as epic-organic-emo-indie-synth-rock. Their show was brilliantly unorthodox and the Chicago-bred quintet wowed in their Los Angeles debut.

Their ethereal vibe was anchored by not one, but two full drum sets, ample percussion and resonating bass, a sampling machine, stirring synth, as well as guitar with the warmest tone and reverb you could cut with a knife. The inspired drum rhythms were at times tribal, afro-beat, latin and even reggae, sending the audience into a hypnotic dance frenzy. Nigel, the charismatic lead singer was flawless. Though he described himself as being “at the ass end of a cold”, his voice was clear and sexy as he sang lyrics like “We played games with our bodies in a good way” in the song “Phem.”

Their experimental cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m on Fire” was also a show highlight. Flowing seamlessly from song to song, A Lull were like a living, breathing soundtrack on stage.

In explaining their style, front man Nigel described band as otherworldly sound “blurring the line between synthetic and organic” and that they “write the drums and percussion with that in mind, creating very unorthodox drum sounds.” Fans should definitely get excited as they’re currently recording and releasing new music this year. However, Nigel advises, the music will be slightly “pulled back”. Their current album, Some Love is also available on iTunes.

A Lull Setlist:

1. Sidemen
2. Dark Stuff
3. Phem
4. Not About It
5. Some Love
6. Still Got Pull
7. I’m on Fire
8. Aytche
9. Weapons for War

All photos by Owen Ela