NEON TREES LIGHT UP BELLWETHER IN TRIUMPHANT TO LOS ANGELES
Back in Los Angeles for the first time in two years, the synth-pop band Neon Trees stopped by the Bellwether for an electric night of dance, sparkle, and atmosphere. Promoting their fifth and newest record, Sink Your Teeth, Neon Trees played a nearly 90-minute set spanning their 15-year career – old classics and new tracks abound. Their performance was a reminder that Neon Trees were never just an early-2010s radio band, but rather artists with depth and emotion who still know how to have fun.
Before Neon Trees took their headlining spot, two opening acts warmed the stage and crowd. First, Joni Lemons, a fiery three-piece led by namesake Joni, offered plucky guitar solos, heart-shaped glasses, and bisexual anthems for the eager crowd. Lemons opened the show, announcing that she was the crowd’s new best friend for the next thirty minutes, and, somehow, she was right. Her stripped-back garage band sensibility, mixed with dream pop vocals, brought the cheekiness and pluck of Wet Leg, along with the ethereal energy of Wolf Alice. Overall, Joni Lemons is an act with a lot of heart, warmth, and brass that everyone should keep an eye on in the coming years.
The second opening act Dear Boy took a different but admirable approach. Promoting their new record, Celebrator, coming out October 17, Dear Boy combined the softness of ’80s new wave vocals with ’90s garage rock a la Weezer’s Pinkerton. The LA-based act toyed with elegant harmonies and the occasional show gaze sensibility, all backed by delicate vocals reminiscent of emo-pop acts like Cartel and Mae. The standout song of the set, “After All,” perfectly captured the band’s unique approach to soft, vulnerable lyrics with an upbeat, guitar-driven energy.
Eventually, Neon Trees took the fog-filled stage to “A Real Hero” by College, a fitting tribute to neon, late nights, and the promise of atmosphere that they surely delivered by the end of their set. Bathed in colorful lights and smoky ambiance, lead singer Tyler Glenn – wearing a sparkly black jacket bedecked with exaggerated fringe – opened with new wave-esque singalong “Skeleton Boy.” The crowd immediately fell into step, clapping and singing along with such vigor that Glenn couldn’t help but commend the Los Angeles crowd. (How LA managed to secure the reputation for having difficult crowds, I will never understand.) By the time Neon Trees played their first smash hit “Animal,” the crowd was positively electric.
Several highlights of Neon Trees’ set include Glenn’s performance and reflections on their classic track “1983,” a song about the year he was born, written when he was 25, and now performing when he’s 42. The song was the perfect reminder for all the millennials in the room who discovered Neon Trees in high school or college, and are still enjoying them well into their 30s, that age is only a number and mindset. Music, however, can last forever. Other highlights included the emotional “Songs I Can’t Listen To,” the positively addictive new track “Bad Dreams,” and a fun, energetic cover of “Don’t You Want Me” by Human League.
Neon Trees prove with a solid back catalog of unabashed pop songs, and a new record that still captures the electricity of their fun, dance-infused songwriting, that they have always been a band creating the soundtrack for nostalgia-invoking late nights. Their raw energy, colorful stage production, and fearless approach to fun make them a worthy contender for an unforgettable concert experience.
