ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY PAULA HELU FERNANDEZ
FEB. 15 | LOS ANGELES—Spiritualized, whose name is perhaps one of the most fitting a band has ever chosen, touched the souls of many Angelinos tonight, and I was fortunate enough to attend their second sold-out night. The show was held at the newly restored United Artists Theater at the Ace Hotel in Downtown L.A. It originally opened in 1927 and soon became a part of the great Los Angeles theater district. Long after the glory days of Broadway were over, this theater served as a church, from 1990 to 2010, and fittingly enough, has now reopened for a very spiritual experience.
With its opulent golden detailed architecture, elegant carpet and a beautiful dome in the center of the ceiling, this revamped venue was one of the most romantic places to be on Valentine’s Day weekend. This theater is a spectacle in itself, but that wasn't all that was in store for me tonight, as I witnessed one of the most magical shows of my life.
As the lights flickered in the lobby, signaling the start of the show, I walked into the theater and was speechless at its amazing interior. When the curtains finally opened, it revealed a starlit background, a stage lined with fresh white roses, orchestra members dressed in black, a choir in white robes, and Jason Pierce, along with the rest of the band, ready to delight the audience with their songs.
Ladies and Gentleman We Are Floating in Space is a beautiful album, and each song was performed with diverse lighting and background settings, taking the audience on a real journey. This perfectly executed concept took the crowd to hyperspace mode, as Jason’s powerful voice, the hypnotizing riffs and the nine-person choir brought to life such songs as "Electricity" and "All of My Thoughts." "Stay with Me" was both heartbreaking and beautiful, and "Broken Heart" was the most epic moment of all—with thousands of little lights reflecting from a giant disco ball, the theater seemed as though it was suspended for a moment, as the ball paused briefly to switch directions. After every song, I could hear those around me gasp with delight in this taste of salvation.
Despite being held in a seated venue, many of the Spiritualized faithful were on their feet, arms in the air, praising the glory that was this set. The band blessed the attendees with an encore, consisting of "Out of Sight" and the ever so soulful "Oh Happy Day." As the curtain closed, we all paused and looked around, snapping back to reality. This night truly reminded me of how music can change a person's life. If this theater was still a church and Spiritualized were the preachers, we would definitely be here every Sunday.




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