Best Coast – Alhambra Theater – June 5th

Written by Madison on May 20, 2015

Oregonians, Washingtonians, and, of course, Californians listen up! West coast indie rock duo Best Coast is coming to the Alhambra Theater on June 5th for an all ages show as part of the US summer tour supporting their newly released LP California Nights. The duo will be joined by Bully, an alternative rock group out of Nashville, TN.

Hailing from Los Angeles, CA, Best Coast has been a popular name on the indie rock scene the past few years. Influenced by 1960s country music, Fleetwood Mac, and even Blink 182, Best Coast pulls from a verity of genres to create “female garage rock.”After forming the band in 2009, members Bethany Cosentino (guitar/piano/vocals) and Bobb Bruno (lead guitar/bass/drums/production) released their debut LP Crazy For You through Black Iris records in 2010. The LP met heavy online buzz that pushed it to number 26 on the Billboard 200. With lyrics liked “Want to kill you but then I miss you” and “There’s something about the summer,” Cosentino writes and sings mainly about love and warm weather— making the album a fun and easy listen. Will Hemes of Rolling Stone writes that Crazy For You is “Modern but classic, it’s a summer play-on-repeat record that even your grandma might dig” (perhaps Hemes’ grandma is little hipper than the average). The band’s sophomore album The Only Place, released in 2012, and EP Fade Away, 2013, received similar favorable reception as Crazy For You. Highlights from all three releases include “Our Deal,” “The Only Place,” and “This Lonely Morning.”

Best Coast’s latest LP, California Nights, was released earlier this month by Harvest Records. Cosentino continues her role as the sole writer for the band on beachy hits like “Feeling Ok” and title track “California Nights.” While overall reviews for the album have been positive, Pitchfork writer Jeremy Gordon concludes that “you’ll either be infuriated by the simplicity or endeared by its earnestness” regarding the songs— none of which share the “ubiquitous charm” of the first album according to Gordon. Either way, Best Coast continues to release the kind of music that makes you wish you were on a beach and anyone with a love for The Golden State can appreciate.

Like Best Coast, the opener for the June 5th show, Bully, is fronted by female power. Their self-titled 2014 release functions as the perfect road trip EP. It’s upbeat, catchy, and not mention, front woman Alicia Bognanno’s lyrics are personal and relatable. You can find the EP and more of their music on their bandcamp.

Tickets and more info for the show can be found here.