For all the glamour of fame and success, the biggest names in entertainment are sometimes surprisingly down-to-earth, and even shy. David Bowie and Elton John were both known for being shy and thoughtful behind their flamboyant stage personas, as was Jimi Hendrix.
Rostam Batmanglij—known simply as Rostam for his solo performances—exudes the same sensitive and thoughtful energy, despite being a founding member of Vampire Weekend, which had sold millions of records before he left in 2016.
The show was at the medium-sized El Rey Theatre featuring a mostly standing audience, looking a lot like a theatre as opposed to a live music venue. Traditional tall velvet curtains were draped down from the ceiling and hung across the front of the stage, with a large “El Rey” projected onto it.
Opening for the show was Sam Buck, who performed as a duo with a lead singer and acoustic guitar player, and a “hype man” backing singer on the side. A clear contrast could be seen between the two in everything from the manner of dress to stage presence. Sam Buck sang and played Jason Aldean-style modern country songs straight into a microphone at center stage, which is customary, while the backing singer roamed across the stage, sometimes walking behind Sam, with a tank top and a way of carrying himself that seemed more fitting for a rap or hip-hop venue.
In fact, the contrast was so notable (if not somewhat jarring) that it wasn’t always clear whether this was a spontaneous collaboration or a planned performance. The backing singer had a drink in his hand throughout the show and seemed to twitch and flail across the stage except on rare instances when he sang a higher harmony alongside Sam.
The sound of Sam Buck was unique in combining the modern radio country elements with a backing instrumental track, which filled out the bass and drums. Altogether, it was a memorable sound. However, much of the half-hour setlist sounded seemed to blend together, making it all that much easier to focus on the backing singer’s antics.
Another high point of the performance was when Sam entered into a light falsetto, which was relatively rare throughout the set.
What stands out most about Rostam is that he and his band appear to truly be musician’s musicians. Whereas many groups shoot to stardom with a single song or a very narrow style, which they then more or less duplicate for the rest of the set, just about every one of Rostam’s songs was clearly different. The most obvious way is with regards to genre. Songs spanned genres from jazz to country, to one of the audience favorites (and apparently his mother’s favorite) based on Persian influences.
Every member of the band somehow seemed to stand out and also work together to create an atmospheric soundscape for the audience.
Whereas some artists rely heavily on elements like physical energy, shock and production, Rostam seems to rely on the opposite elements of calmness, sensitivity and pure creative dedication. Though the former style can often appeal to a wider audience due to the accessibility of a danceable tune and smoke machines, Rostam’s style seems one that the average listener might sometimes miss. However, the flip side is that the music critic and the aspiring musician may very well prefer it because it takes the risk of putting the focus squarely on the music itself, which is in this case, inspired and thoughtful. The fewer antics by the band members, be it jumping around the stage and falling down on a bended knee, and the less production, be it smoke machines and screaming into the audience, the more the art has to stand on its own. Fortunately, Rostam and his band are able to take that risk and come out strong.
On the topic of risk, there is a good amount of risk involved in musical diversity. After all, there is a reason that many bands try to recreate hit singles, or stick very closely to a formula that has worked well. However, Rostam’s songwriting and his band’s backing show a good mix of technical diversity. Most notably, the drummer had a string of numerous songs where the rhythm was clearly different from the previous song, which kept the audience’s ears engaged and interested. Oftentimes, the average listener may not even be aware of what it is that is keeping them musically interested, but it is sometimes because of changes like these, as the change in rhythm in a song totally changes the “feel” between different songs.
The use of unique instruments and combinations of instruments fits assists in the musical diversity, including a track where what sounded like a sitar and a fiddle were mixed, creating an enchanting style. The same track included a flute played on the synthesizer. Again, there is a risk being taken but the ambition is sometimes rewarded with a particularly memorable track as it is here. The saxophone is also consistently featured throughout the show, and is another element that makes Rostam’s music more memorable than most.
The drums in particular were tight and sounded just like a studio recording, with the timbre of an electronic drum kit. It was notable that the snares didn’t ring out and the cymbals didn’t “shake” all the way through, which was maybe a purposeful choice.
An underrated element of Rostam’s music may be his lyrics, which although not always clear behind the rest of the instruments, come across as clearly thought-through. For example, a lyric in “Bike Dream” goes, “two boys, one to kiss your neck, one to bring you breakfast.” Many popular groups aspire for something poetic, writing words like “I thought I was a light switch, I am the sun.” It’s not always easy to tell why a certain line works better than another, and music scholars and experts have spent much time trying to use their brain to make sense of it. The truth is, it doesn’t seem like anyone knows for sure. What we do know, however, is that a certain lyric touches us and seems to point out something true. Something about this line seems to meet those criteria.
Overall, the show was solid and professional. At its best, it brought back a touch of the ambition of a Pet Sounds, where a young man’s sensitivity is displayed straight from the heart for the audience. And despite a shy and reserved look on Rostam’s face, the music itself explodes, revealing to the audience that his subtle mannerisms don’t reflect a young man lacking in emotion and ambition, but one who is overflowing with them.
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