Nicole Vaughn @ The House of Blues
The word “indie” has taken on a life of its own, and it is taking great strides towards world domination. Films are indie, clothing can be indie, and most notably, EVERY genre of music has some sort of indie subset. It’s difficult to describe what exactly is “indie” about a band or song – they can be rockers, pop stars, country singers, it really doesn’t matter – but if they posses that one extra x-factor, that we in the audience can’t quite name and can’t help but be intrigued by, we call them indie and move on. Our labeling results in the beautiful variety of what I saw Thursday night at the Anaheim House of Blues: a handful of bands, all considered indie, who couldn’t be more different from one another.
As I made my way through the double doors and maneuvered towards the stage, indie pop artist Davis Fetter was beginning his set. Fetter has been a favorite of the magazine for a while (read his insightful interview with us here), and his electrifying presence on stage proved that he deserves our affections. His vocals vacillated between sweet, cooing pop vocals and gritty, angsty rock screams. With songs like “Euphoria,” off Fetter’s latest album, he showed off his remarkable ability to command the stage: all eyes were fixed on Fetter. His enthusiastic smile never faded from song to song, and his “thank yous” were genuine as he closed out his set.
With the “oh-ee-ohs” of Fetter’s “Euphoria” still bouncing around in my head, I flipped a page in my notebook and waited for The Relative Strangers. This indie-rock quartet is another OCMM darling (we’ve blessed our readers with two articles about them this year alone, most recently in September), and their eerie, Doors-influenced sound was something completely different from the lighthearted love songs of their predecessor. Songs like “Weapon of Choice” and “Under My Eyelids” possessed a heavy, rock n’ roll intensity that was only exacerbated by wild flashing lights and a whole lot of head banging. The crowd offered up TRS a screaming, rock n’ roll reception, and as the curtain closed each boy’s face bore a wide grin.
Nicole Vaughn and her Lovely Band
The finest way to follow up indie rock is with some indie folk, I say, and 6-piece powerhouse Golden Afternoon did just that. Opening with a sultry and slow version of Judy Garland’s “Get Happy,” the group grabbed the attention of everyone within earshot and refused to let go until the curtain closed. Lead vocalist Elizabeth Messick – who bore a striking resemblance to Zooey Deschanel – held nothing back as she sang; her voice has the versatility to seamlessly tackle jazz numbers, folk ballads, and a mind-blowing cover of Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit.” Golden Afternoon was a welcome addition to the evening’s line up, and a tremendous hit with the crowd at their feet.
Finally, the evening wrapped up with a stellar performance by headliners Nicole Vaughn and Her Lovely Band. This indie-folk-Americana crew wowed the crowd with original tracks and covers alike, all with a fun and youthful flair.
“Do we sound good up here?” they asked the audience at one point. When met with a loud, collective “woo,” Nicole laughed and responded, “You guys sound good!”
Nicole Vaughn photo by Chantel Donnan
Nicole’s sweet, emotionally-charged voice rang through the air as she sang songs like “Black Bear,” an adorable folk-style song that reminded me of A Fine Frenzy, a cover of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire,” and even “Happy Birthday” to her dear old dad. Nicole and her Lovely Band were certainly having a good time on the stage, and it seemed their energy diffused into the crowd, who were dancing around in no time at all.
As the curtain was drawn for a final time, everyone in the House of Blues was smiling and chattering excitedly. Be it pop, rock, jazz, or folk, it seemed that the indie artists performing that night had left a lasting, lighthearted impression on everyone who heard them.
