Posted: by The Editor
You know how there are bands you wish you would’ve known about since they first started putting out tunes, but maybe you were too young or not even born yet? Legendary Emo band, Braid is that band for several people that showed up at The Echoplex in Los Angeles this past Saturday. The crowd was a mixed batch of younger and older fans and they were ready for a damn good time as Braid is currently going around the country celebrating 25 years of Frame & Canvas by playing the album in its entirety.
Along for the ride on a portion of the tour is Punk/Indie band, Signals Midwest. This was the first time in a few years that the Cleveland-based band were to perform in Los Angeles. The fans that were familiar with the music were not hesitant in showing that they knew the songs as Signals Midwest played fan favorites such as “Your Old New Apartment,” “You’re Gonna Be Golden,” “West Side Summer,” and “GOLD IN THE GREY.” The band couldn’t end their set without thanking Braid for having them on board to play some of the anniversary shows.
With the energetic performance Signals Midwest gave, the crowd braced themselves for the set Braid would deliver. As expected with the band playing Frame & Canvas, the band started off with the first track off the album, “The New Nathan Detroits” followed by “Killing A Camera” and “Never Will Come For Us.” Every chance the band could get, they thanked the fans for sticking with them and for coming out to the show. Fans continued to show their energy as they sang along to the rest of the album as the band played “First Day Back,” “Collect From Clark Kent,” “Milwaukee Sky Rocket,” “A Dozen Roses,” “Urbana’s Too Dark,” “Consolation Prize Fighter,” “Ariel,” (Bob Nanna asked if there were any Ariels in the crowd. There were none, but there were a bunch of Aries, so the band dedicated the song to anyone who was an Aries) “Breathe In,” and finally “I Keep A Diary.”
With Braid performing the entirety of Frame & Canvas, an album that’s over 40 minutes long, the band treated us to more bangers. Off The Age of Octeen, we got treated to “My Baby Smokes” and “The Chandelier Swing”. The band also played “East End Hollows,” “No Coast,” and “Damages!” off No Coast.
Overall, it was such an awesome show with both bands playing their hearts out. Braid sounded phenomenal. I was only a kid when Frame & Canvas was released, but the beauty of music is that we are able to learn about bands later on in life that we didn’t know of before. The unfortunate circumstance that we may find ourselves in sometimes is that the bands may no longer be together for whatever reason. Lucky for us, Braid has been able to play these anniversary shows and they’re not done. The band is scheduled to play at Riot Fest in Chicago and Furnace Fest in Birmingham in September and THE FEST in Gainesville in October. If you’re attending any of these festivals, please do yourself a favor and go see Braid. They are ready to melt faces.
Photos by Jazmin Lemus
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