Lurking in the shadowy hallway at KROQ studios, The Neighbourhood stopped by the radio station’s Red Bull Sound Space to share some news with fans and provide a live performance of a new song. A sea of colored locked fans, some even young enough to have their parents in tow, waited patiently for the monochrome Los Angeles based band. KROQ radio personality Nicole Alvarez grabbed the mic and welcomed the crowd to “LA’s best kept secret,” where small intimate shows happen for the fans. Cheers erupted as Alvarez rallied up the girls to share a warm welcome for The Neighbourhood.
Sporting his signature leather jacket and modern greaser boy looks, frontman Jesse Rutherford answered a variety of questions from the fans that had been pre-selected by Alvarez. The band chuckled and answered the questions collectively regarding quick confessions from the group including who was the ladies man of the group (apparently Zach Abels is) to which one of them is always up to no good (guitarist Jeremy Freedman won that round).
After lots of laughter and bantering within the packed Red Bull room, Freedman announced that they would perform a few songs. Rutherford’s slothful vocals cooed out of the speakers, grooving to the band’s 2013 hit “Sweater Weather.” Fans chimed in together with Rutherford for the single’s catchy chorus throughout the song. Girls paraded around the boys and did their best to snap as many pictures of “The NBHD” boys as possible. They played a few other tracks off their 2013 album I Love you, but the real treat came from a cover of YG’s “Me & My Bitch.” Rutherford bashfully introduced the song and shyly apologized for the lyrics to those young fans and their parents in the crowd. The song was very much so welcomed with hollers from the older fans in the room who helped Rutherford fill in some spots he left unsung.
The boys went on to drop a pleasant bomb with KROQ and fans and announced that they would release a free mixtape, arguing that rock and roll doesn’t give enough to the fans anymore. Whether anyone approved or disapproved of that statement, the news made everyone excited. On top of that, The NBHD will also be holding a spot on the new “The Amazing Spider-man 2” soundtrack, out May 2. With that announced, the guys gave the crowd their first live rendition of the Spider-man single, “Honest.” The song possessed The NBHD’s stamp of their psychedelic indie sound. Young and adult fans alike seemed receptive, encouraging Rutherford every time he stretched his voice to hit accented high notes.
The NBHD surely has been busy dipping their hands into multiple pots, from launching an entertainment company to crawling onto a highly anticipated big screen movie. These boys radiate ambition and wear it well. It’s only natural to foresee bigger things for the five-some as they dive deeper in 2014.
Set List
Sweater Weather
Female Robbery
Me & My Bitch (YG Cover Song)
Honest (song from The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Soundtrack)
Afraid
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