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Now Recovered After a Gruesome Injury, Pela Will (finally) Play Spaceland Tonight
Brooklyn indie rockers Pela were supposed to play Spaceland back on March 8, but a few days before, frontman Billy McCarthy was injured while playing a gig in Chicago, forcing them to cancel the rest of their tour.
The injury occurred during the show's triumphant finale... as the band played the anthemic 'Cavalry' the frenzied crowd climbed up on stage to sing and dance along, and when the disorienting strobe lights started flashing, McCarthy slipped off the front of the stage and his hand landed squarely on a broken pint glass, ripping a deep gash through his palm and slicing the tendons in his finger. (Click here to see a photo.)
After a delicate surgery to re-attach McCarthy's tendons and a period of physical therapy, Pela are now back on the road. They're coming off a set at the scenic Sasquatch festival in Washington, and after their Spaceland set tonight they're off to Denver and St. Louis before finally making it back to their home turf on the east coast.
Compared to many of their Brooklyn neighbors such as Animal Collective and Grizzly Bear, Pela is less "experimental", and more of a straightforward rock band. But they pack an emotional punch. Last April, Rolling Stone named them their "Artist to Watch" and described their sound as "Springsteen + Pixies, minus the major label bank account." Lead singer/guitarist Billy McCarthy is a California native, and the powerful intensity that he and his bandmates bring to the stage has earned them a loyal fan base that thrive on the amazing energy of their live shows.
Pela's first full-length CD, Anytown Graffiti, has earned rave reviews and appeared on numerous "top albums of 2007" lists.
Pela performs tonight at Spaceland, 1717 Silver Lake Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027. Supporting bands: Neva Dinova and Ladyhawk. Tickets are general admission, and cost $12.00. Doors open at 8:30 PM.
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