I have a confession to make. I had not really heard of John Garcia before covering last Saturday’s show at Club Soda, but I was curious. I was covering for another photographer who couldn’t make it, so I listened to a few of his songs beforehand to get an idea of his genre. I also did a quick search on him and his band Kyuss and saw that they were very famous in the stoner rock community
Once I arrived at the venue, after having positioned myself in the front row waiting for the first act to come on stage, I was approached by a few curious concertgoers who spotted my camera and asked which publication I worked for (I was the only photographer at the venue that night). It was a fun conversation starter, and I learned a lot more about Garcia and his band as the night went on. They were not only famous in the stoner rock genre, but they were practically pioneers of it. I was told stories about how they stole the show when they opened for Metallica one night and how they had such an enormous following despite belonging to such a niche genre. Needless to say, I was very excited.
First on stage was Left Lane Cruiser, a blues rock duo from Indiana. Their irreverent attitude and quick rhythm were infectious, taking sips of beer and telling jokes to the audience in between songs. They didn’t move much from their seats during their set, but they didn’t need to, as their sound was fast-paced, fun and energetic.
Next up was Telekinetic Yeti, another newer entry in the doom metal genre. Their sound was a lot more measured as they took their time lingering on notes and feeling their way through the basslines. Maybe my ear isn’t quite tuned to the intricacies of doom metal, but I couldn’t get into this sound as much as LLC, though I did appreciate some aspects of their performance.
Finally, John Garcia came up on stage. The venue was packed at this point, and the crowd was going wild. I had a bit of trouble manoeuvring my way through the crowd to get the best shots (thankfully, I had access to the empty gallery as well), but it was doable. He moved slowly across the stage with measured steps and sang with a steady voice, occasionally giving hand signals to his band to modify the sound. He was in complete control of the songs and it showed. It was a mesmerizing performance, but not leisurely. The music, although distorted and bass-heavy, got me into such a groove I couldn’t help but stop a few times just to listen.
By the end of the night, I was grateful for the new experience and glad that I tried something new. I only know now to bring earplugs for the next show!
Review & photos – Alexander Distaulo
Share this :