Photo Credit: Owen Ela
After spending the summer playing festivals and touring across the country, still supporting 2013’s debut full-length Days are Gone, Los Angeles native-daughters Haim made their homecoming on Tuesday night at The Fonda in Hollywood. Considering the conspicuous political even that went down exactly a week prior (“This has been a weird fucking week,” the members all agreed), it was surely a welcome comfort to return to the city they call their home. Despite the weird vibes of the last week, Haim’s music is all about rocking out and having a good time and that was no different for this installment of Red Bull Sound Select’s 30 Days in L.A. concert series.
Secretly Canadian Pop/R&B signeee Steven A. Clark opened up the night, with Charlotte Day Wilson coming on second. Wilson’s eclectic experimental pop sound entranced the audience throughout her well-executed set, reaching an apex with the concluding one-two punch of “Find You” and “Work.” Before leading into the concluding song in her set, she disclosed how tough the last week has been for her and admitted she wasn’t even sure she would be up for the performance. Luckily for the audience, she used the show as a bit of a catharsis, providing some exhilarating moments like an extended, yacht-rock-hearkening sax solo to finish off “Find You.”
A common complaint from Haim concertgoers was shock at the band’s penchant for turning their slick, indie-influenced Fleetwood Mac influenced pop into more guitar-oriented rock fare. While those that became fans of the band for their for the slick modern take on their classic rock influences would be a bit taken aback at the distorted crunch of their sound, it’s hard to imagine a more well-oiled machine than the ladies of Haim.
They opened with one of the latter singles from their debut, “If I Could Change Your Mind.” Replacing simple synth lines and spiky disco guitars with more classic-minded distorted guitar riffs, Haim kept the lighthearted atmosphere of their first song despite the much more rock-oriented sound. A few songs later the band couldn’t help but idolize on of pop music’s most important impresarios, with a cover of Prince’s “I Would Die 4 U” featuring bassist Este taking over lead vocals and nailing the dance moves. While Este stuck to vocals throughout the performance, near the end of the song she picked up her bass and joined her two sisters for some synchronized riffage to close out the song.
The band threw in some deep cuts like “Honey & I” before progressing into their first new song of the night: “Give Me Just a Little of Your Love,” which didn’t push the envelope of the band’s first record. However, the song featured some complex layering and vocal harmonies that make it worthy to rank among the standout singles from Haim’s first album.
Next up was one of the singles that really made Haim of a household name. With an appearance in a Target commercial and copious radio play, “Forever” became an underdog radio hit. While it fit in well with the ’80s reviving scene of the time, it’s always retained a very distinct live form. Trading in the layered synths for guitar riffs, the band created a poppy but still hard edged classic rock single. As with all of the songs in their live repertoire, Danielle is a stronger guitarist than she is given credit for—her ripping solos stand alongside the unforgettable melodies as set highlights. “Forever” is a bit of a disappointment, not quite reaching the hard-rock ecstasy of other songs while completely abandoning the slick synth pop of the recorded version.
After “Forever,” the band followed up with another new song, “Nothing’s Wrong.” Slightly more nuanced than the other new song performed earlier in the set, it featured multiple layers that held interest throughout its run length. The band concluded with one of its best, “The Wire.” With Este, Danielle and Alana taking their turns on the lead vocals, it gave a fun glimpse into the dynamic of one of indie-pop’s most likable groups.
Keep an eye out for Haim as their prepare to release their second studio full-length album, hopefully in 2017.
Haim Setlist:
If I Could Change Your Mind
Don’t Save Me
I Would Die 4 U
Honey & I
Give Me Just a Little of Your Love
Forever
My Song 5
Nothing’s Wrong
The Wire
Encore:
Falling
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