Local Natives at the Olympia | Review

Psych-folk returns to Dublin in its most admirable form in Local Natives. Currently touring Europe, Los Angeles’ fine export visit Dublin’s Olympia Theatre to a crowd expecting quality musicianship, and receiving a lot more bang for their buck.

Things get underway with the epic Breakers and the hooky three-part harmonies come thick and fast. This trio of Kelcey Ayer, Taylor Rice and Ryan Hahn (who we interviewed last week) declares originality at its best, with delightful fairy-like vocals swooping through the air, to be shot at by Matt Frazier’s unique semi-automatic drum style.

Wide Eyes from the 2009 debut album ‘Gorilla Manor’ combines the bands’ nack for displaying vocal charm and a revolutionary rhythm style, yet still encompasses a dirty guitar to rally the mix. Singer Taylor says “we’ve been to Dublin a few times but it feels like we’ve always been waiting for this one.” The audience absolutely lavish in the variety of sounds, while the band tease in the bridge with kinetic rhythm. It’s like a freak show of the talents.

Time to soften the tone; the LA fivesome, now covered by purple light, display creative harmonies yet again for Ceilings, from album ‘Hummingbird’ released at the beginning of the year. Having worked with producer Aaron Dessner of The National, You & I and Mt. Washington have a beautiful sense of struggling calmness. The crowd appear enchanted by it all.

Local Natives have always been a band who appear laid-back; there’s surely something in the water in California. Taylor tells a drunken tale of how the band frequented Dublin nightclub Coppers only to discover they “don’t belong there.” It’s reassuring to see a group so freely communicate with their audience during a performance.

The band and crowd continue forth, in friendly unison with favourites like Wooly Mammoth, the rocky Camera Talk and the unquestionable hit, Airplanes. During the latter, a flawless four-way acapella bridge builds the song to a tremendous finale. Local Natives has trampolined their talents beyond their earlier, simpler beginnings. They are now a serious force in the world of worthy music.

Time yet for an encore, and one would be forgiven for assuming Heavy Feet is how Local Natives say goodbye. While performing the final few songs with various members changing instruments with others’, the real mastermind comes with the blistering Sun Hands. Word for word, the crowd mimick what they see, before erupting along with the severe heaviness. The band’s backdrop of glaring light bulbs suddenly becomes a wavy sea of shattering glass. Lights. Out.

It’s a common theme with bands who walk our land – they appear overwhelmed by our warming receptions, or so it seems. For most bands are simply obeying the script, a script that goes with the business. And yet, here, it truly felt as though Local Natives were at home away from home.