CANNONS PERFORM SLOW SEDUCTION AT THE EL REY

Mar 4

Cannons take the stage, bathed in moody red light. Michelle Joy is a vision in skin-tight silver pants and matching silver halter. Her blond hair is perfect in her trademark Farrah Fawcett loose curls. The band launches into “Ruthless,” Joy flipping off the audience on the words, “You’re so ruthless. Fuck you!”

Joy grabs the mic and explains that this is the band’s very first headlining show and the first night of their tour. The sold-out crowd erupts with applause. She tells the audience that the band will be debuting new material from their forthcoming album. This news makes the crowd explode even louder.

Next, they launch into the crowd-pleaser “Baby.” They follow it with the radio smash “Bad Dreams,” which ignites the crowd into a full-on sing-a-long. The band enjoyed the participation, as they groove along with the music. It is odd to think that Cannons blew up during the Pandemic, so this adulation is still new to them.

When “Purple Sun” hits, the entire audience is moving with the Caribbean beat. The purple lights give the impression of sitting on a desert island being serenaded by a mermaid. Her siren call entrancing you in its spell.

Cannons throws in “Golden,” a Harry Styles cover. They play a couple of new songs. They play a couple of old songs. The audience is in the palm of their hands the whole time.

Joy takes the mic again, explaining that one song completely transformed their musical journey, and it changed their lives forever. The energy in the audience builds in anticipation as the opening notes to “Fire for You” ring out. At this point, the audience gives over complete control to the band, their bodies and minds no longer their own.

They close the show out with one more, “Spells.” The band thanks the audience one last time before relinquishing control, the spell finally broken. But the absolute seduction is already complete.