Gareth David, lead singer and songwriter of the Wales band Los Campesinos!, loomed over the Los Angeles crowd with a slight grin, “How many of you here are seeing us for the first time?”
A massive roar came from the balcony and floor of the sold-out Teragram Ballroom.
“And they said we were a buzz band,” David remarked.
Los Campesinos! stormed the indie scene in 2007 when Myspace bands emerged and dropped within the same month until another buzzworthy artist took their spot.
Los Campesinos! were lumped in the same litter by music publications. Yet 10 years and six albums later, the band continues to rise and strike the hearts of their diehard fans as the show on Saturday, Feb. 25 proved that.
Their latest album “Sick Scenes” showcases their sound from 2007 until now: relentless, early energy sprinkled into their current love for pop ballads. Nevertheless, David’s snark and sarcasm remains the staple of their sound.
In their first US show in over 6 years, the band commanded the room and the crowd responded with unbridled energy.
Los Campesinos! walked onto the stage and began their set with “As Lucerne/The Low” from the 2013 album “No Blues”.
Even the new songs pleased the audience, a large portion sang every word even though the album released the day before the show.
The band burned through their golden year hits and ended with the crowd favorite “Miserabilia”, which David introduced as a song about “how you’re all going to die.”
The crowd erupted in cheers.
The musicians bowed and left the stage, but that didn’t stop the crowd from cheering for more, and so the band returned to perform “Heart Swells/Pacific Daylight Time” – a song they’ve never performed in the United States and the only love song they’ve ever written.
They then launched into their mega-hit “You! Me! Dancing!”, which transformed the floor of the Teragram into one huge dance party and ended their set with early cut “Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks” to the crowd’s pleasure.
Before leaving the stage, a sweaty David overlooked the crowd with affection, reflecting on his band’s history and endurance as he announced he would be at the merchandise table to talk to the fans after he applied deodorant.