On Monday night at the Bardot, Angelenos packed the Bardot for this week’s School Night, a night dedicated to discovering new music, live. The opening sets varied from indie pop (The Aces) to hip-hop (Warm Brew), but the night culminated with The Strokes’ guitarist Albert Hammond Jr.
Hammond released Francis Trouble, his fourth solo album, earlier this year in March. The work was inspired by his stillborn twin brother, catalyzing the creation of an alter ego. He is on tour in support of the album, with a multitude of European festivals lined up over the summer.
But for this night in Hollywood, things were intimate. And by intimate, that means sweaty and high energy. With no barricade separating Hammond and his band from the crowd, it was as if the audience could swallow him whole. However, Hammond’s untiring movements could not be contained.
Three hours into the event, Hammond entered the box of a room: “Hello everyone… my name is Albert Hammond Jr.” He began the set with album opener “DvsL.” And while Hammond jumped along, others weren’t quite at his level just yet. Still, after the song, he said, “You guys are awesome.”
After “Holiday,” Hammond said, “We put out a record called Francis Trouble a few months ago… I’m going to tie my shoe and talk.” While doing so, he went on to introduce the next song: “This next one is called ‘Set to Attack.’”
It was then time to pick up the pace with “Harder Harder Harder,” the thumpy album closer. It seemed like an effort to really warm up the crowd, especially in regards to vigorous nature of guitarist’s playing. Hammond checked in: “Are you guys enjoying your night? I heard it was fantastic.” “What’s next,” he then wondered. “Oh boy.”
They segued into Momentary Masters’ “Side Boob,” a performance that rivaled the previous song’s exuberance. Hammond bounced into the crowd, came back to the stage and then back into the crowd for the song’s finish. He didn’t have much time to breathe, for after a quick instrumental fade, the drummer ticked into “St. Justice.”
The set made its way back to Francis Trouble. Before “Far Away Truths,” Hammond noted, “It’s fucking hot in here.” He continued to wonder, though: “You having fun?” By the time he reached “ScreaMER,” Hammond had rid of his jacket. The jacket did appear soon again, only this time for the first part of “Rocky’s Late Night.” For one of the moodier moments of the night, Hammond hung his jacket over the top of the microphone stand so that it draped over his face as he sang into the microphone in his other hand.
To cap the evening, Hammond closed with Trouble’s lead single “Muted Beatings.” With gratitude, he said, “Honestly, you guys were awesome. I hope you had a good time.” By the chorus, those right in front of the stage finally matched Hammond’s affinity for jumping. He eventually stepped down to his left and wandered through the crowd until the end. Back at the stage, like a champion with trophies, Hammond held up a shoe in each hand: “Thank you, guys!”
Set List
- DvsL
- Holiday
- Set to Attack
- Harder Harder Harder
- Side Boob
- St. Justice
- Faraway Truths
- ScreaMER
- Rocky’s Late Night
- Muted Beatings
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