Jana Ariss
Young adults wearing flannels and ankle boots casually walked into the House of Blues on Dec. 13.
Guitarist and vocalist Sam Plecker shreds the guitar
Photo Courtesy of Twitter
The crowd stood still, anxiously waiting for the band Vista Kicks to perform their latest music from their 2017 album Booty Shakers Ball. Nodding their heads and swaying along to the opening acts, the crowd grew antsy with every minute. Finally, the trademark red velvet suits and long unkempt hair of the classic-rock inspired band appeared on stage. The crowd went wild.
The small venue was just large enough to fit both the crowd and the band. Their eclectic music and unique Californian style was a clear parallel of the SoCal crowd.
The hoarse vocals of “Guiliana” began to rock the venue. Although star-struck at first, the crowd began to dance and shake their booties as the album suggested. The band would quite frequently dance along to
their own music as well, further propelling the crowd into creating a perfect dancing environment.
Soon enough the band brought on stage their friend Reilly, who resides in San Diego, before soulfully playing their heartfelt song “Me & Mr. Reilly” acknowledging the good times spent with their best friend.
The band was interactive throughout the whole concert as they would reach out to fans and lean into the crowd while playing an incredible guitar solo.
Drummer Nolan Le Vine smiles at the crowd as he
waits for the next song to begin
Photo Courtesy of Twitter
Throughout most of the concert, drummer Nolan Le Vine sat isolated behind the band, masterfully playing the drums portraying undeniable talent. Halfway through the concert, Le Vine got a five minute solo, in which, he completely shredded a drum stick before tossing it into the crowd for fans to keep. He quickly grabbed a new one conveniently placed in front of him to finish his solo. This riled up the crowd before the rest of the band joined to play their most acknowledged song “Marceline.”
The concert seemed to end early as the band exited the stage only 45 minutes after their first performance. The crowd chanted in unity “one more song” progressively getting louder before Vista Kicks willfully returned for a few more songs.
The bands unforgettable guitar riffs and powerful vocals intertwined with their upbeat and old-fashioned persona generated a night reminiscent of classic 60s rock bands like The Beatles or the Bee Gees. Vista Kicks has truly created a name for themselves by mixing the techniques of old rock with a modern west coast twist that is refreshing to the music world.
