This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
We'll go ahead and use the obvious line here, because it's apt: the Stars were out on Tuesday night at The Roxy. While many were at The Roxy to see headliner Joseph Arthur, we were all hopped up to see our favorite not-yet-but-soon-to-be-big band that we saw a few years ago in Seattle and haven't been able to stop talking about since.
The Stars of Track and Field woo you with their melodies, both messy and clean. Simple and complex. Yet, just when you think they'll go soft on you, giving way to a thousand cliches and ending in the mediocre, they funk it up, rock it out and jam a bit -- right in the middle of a lovely riff that echoes the best of Pink Floyd with a side of electronica and brit pop. They flip the whole "hard on the outside/soft in the center" metaphor on it's head...luring you in with their pop melodies, hooking you completely with their serious rock chops.
They're touring the country with Joseph Arthur through the end of the month, then they start rocking it out with Shiny Toy Guns through the summer. If you happen to be doing some traveling of your own in the next few months, do yourself a favor and catch this show while you can still get close to the stage.
Pics and live video performance after the melodic-yet-rockin' cut...
All above photos by the hyper-talented, we're very lucky to have him, Joey Maloney for LAist
Last three photos & video by Callie Miller for LAist
