Scenestar

ARTICLE BY OSCAR RANGEL
PHOTOS BY CHRIS ALVAREZ

JAN. 19 | LOS ANGELES—It's not everyday that a band with so much buzz and star power suddenly announces that they will be making their debut in your city, but the declaration of a show in Los Angeles might not be so strange after all. Those who were on top of the news on Friday, Jan. 19, were lucky enough to buy tickets to the live debut of James Mercer's (lead vocalist of The Shins) and Brian Burton's (Danger Mouse) new project, Broken Bells, before the show sold out. Once word got out about the show at the Bootleg Theater, there wasn't a ticket to be had. Luckily, thanks to a late miracle, I secured a pair of tickets to see Broken Bells' first show.

Surprisingly for myself and photographer Chris Alvarez, this was our first time ever at the Bootleg Theater, so we didn't know what to expect in terms of the venue, surroundings or sound, except what we had heard from other people and reviews we've read of the place. Located adjacent to downtown L.A., off of Alvarado St., the Bootleg Theater is not located in the usual areas where Los Angeles venues tend to be, but it wasn't too hard to find.

We were there early because of the 8:30 p.m. start time, and we secured a good spot to check out the show. Once inside, we made sure to hit up the merchandise table, where limited-edition posters were being sold, commemorating the event. We each snatched one up and were allowed ins and outs in order to secure them in the car before the rain really came down with the danger of ruining them. We were still able to get in the front and patiently wait until the show started, with the sounds of local DJ Ana Calderon filling up the venue with some catchy tunes.

Though 8:30 p.m. had passed and there was still no show, it was a good time to see who else was here. Recognizable faces in the crowd included Lykke Li, Danny Masterson and Jason Bentley, host of KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic. We also got a glimpse of the set list for the show. Yes, we cheated a little, but we couldn't help it!

A little after 10 p.m., the DJ cut the music, and it was time for Broken Bells' live debut. With the lights out, the visuals came on, blanketing the background with twirling lights and adding some great atmosphere to the stage. In came James Mercer, Danger Mouse and five other members of the band. With James Mercer on the microphone and Danger Mouse on drums, "The High Road" was the first song on a set list of 12 songs. We didn't know what to expect, but the sound was amazing, and "The High Road" sounded better live than the numerous times I have listened to it previously.

The sellout crowd was enthusiastic from every vantage point at the Bootleg Theater, as every piece of the floor was taken to accommodate as many people as possible. After performing "Vaporize," "Your Head Is On Fire," "The Ghost Is Inside" and "Sailing To Nowhere," James Mercer decided to take a break and thank everyone for coming to their first show. Danger Mouse then moves from the drums to guitar for "Trap Doors." Showing his instrumental versatility, Danger Mouse jumped on keyboard for "Citizen," before going back on drums for "October." James Mercer also pointed out, "Some of you are a little TOO familiar with our songs … but that's OK." Throughout this debut live show, the sound was excellent and the set sounded way better than the album.

With Danger Mouse back on guitar, "Mongrel Heart" had a really great beat, as did "The Mall and the Misery." Not really knowing what to expect, this was one of the most put-together small-show productions I've seen in awhile. With the lights, great execution of the songs and fully attentive crowd, you couldn't have asked for anything more in a debut show. If they really wanted people to fall in love with the band and album, then Broken Bells accomplished that tonight.

The band left for a brief break before coming back for an encore. This time, it was only James Mercer and Danger Mouse performing an amazing cover of Neutral Milk Hotel's "In The Airplane Over The Sea." The whole band then returned for one last song together, "Crimson & Clover." With the crowd finishing the sing-along to the Tommy James and the Shondells cover, Broken Bells said goodbye to cheers from the crowd. As everyone left the venue ready to fight the rainy Los Angeles skies with a smile, we thought about how the concert showed us great promise for a band that treated us to a special debut we won't soon forget.

Set List:
The High Road
Vaporize
Your Head Is On Fire
The Ghost Is Inside
Sailing To Nowhere
Trap Doors
Citizen
October
Mongrel Heart
The Mall and the Misery

Encore:
In The Airplane Over The Sea (Neutral Milk Hotel cover)
Crimson & Clover (Tommy James and the Shondells cover)

Broken Bells at the Bootleg Theater set list:

Broken Bells will perform at the Troubadour on Sunday, March 14. Tickets go on sale to the general public via Ticketfly.com this Friday, Feb. 26, at 1 p.m. PST for $24.99. Don't miss your chance to see Broken Bells before tickets sell out again! The band's debut self-titled album is due March 9.

March 14th: Broken Bells at the Troubadour

Broken Bells at the Bootleg Theater performing "The High Road"