Ever since seeing miss Nika Roza Danilova and her two hipster synth-robot men at a Rough Trade instore in London I really wanted to see Zola Jesus in a proper setting. Last night I continued my summer concert series journeying into Silverlake with a truly epic parking job in order to catch out one of my new favorite acts.
For the record The Satellite (formally Spaceland) might officially become my favorite venue in Los Angeles. It smells like an old dive bar with third-rate karaoke and patrons who've been lounging just a little too long. My friend commented on the new ownership, "They added antennae to the disco ball to make it a satellite."
Before the audience was treated to the pipes of Miss Danilova, their were two openers, Hive Mind and Naked on The Vague. Hive Mind droned in the vain of Fuck Buttons without the dynamism and when the Judas Priest-wannabe singer gave us some howls from the bowls of hell I found it just a bit too silly. Naked on the Vague are from Australia and make deeply halloweenish post-rock. It was all right, in an opening band kind of way.
Zola Jesus played nearly all of Stridulum II (UK amalgam of US eps) in its entirety, the band holding the groove on various keyboards and a drum-kit. Miss Danilova looked like a tiny ghost with a howl that could give Edvard Munch a run for his money. Whether it was stalking the stage like a werewolf on "Trust Me" or "Night" or including everyone on the mantra-like "Sea Talk," we were ensnared in her intricate web the entire evening.
As the crowds continue to grow for Zola Jesus, they will continue to get better and better. "Run Me Out," an Inception-in-scope tune that begs to be used in a film trailer, perfectly showcases the scale Miss Danilova and company are operating. Despite how effortlessly they held sway over the tiny Satellite audience, Zola Jesus could enrapture stadiums. And they will soon I'm sure.
Listen:
Zola Jesus-"Run Me Out"
Look:
Zola Jesus official site
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