Let it be known: Turnover loves Las Vegas. Singer/guitarist Austin Getz even said it himself in between the one-two punch of the band’s openers “New Scream” and “Dizzy on the Comedown.” “We love this town. We first played here at a place called East Side Joes in 2012, and now we’re here.”
“Here,” in this case, was Vinyl inside of Hard Rock. It was a subtle moment of reflection for Getz, as he twiddled with his guitar tuners and took a glance at the audience. Turnover drew a sizable crowd to a venue on the middle of the Strip on hump day. That realization alone is proof that the Virginia Beach, Florida quartet has effectively ascended the Las Vegas venue ladder. And they’ve done it elsewhere too; this stop was in the middle of the band’s U.S. tour, in between Coachella appearances. It’s a far cry from the graffiti-covered walls and dusty halfpipe at the aforementioned East Side Joes.
The Portland quintet Reptaliens opened the show—not with a drum count or guitar chord, but with an eerie ceremony and monologue surrounding the flat earth—complete with a reptile-like figure wearing a silver cape. The band then launched into roughly 30 minutes of indie-rock that was as funky as it was dreamy. Songs like the dreamy “If You Want” and their latest single, “Echo Park,” showcased their ability to cover a ton of musical ground—from straightforward jangle rock to nuanced numbers inspired by French Pop. Theatrics played a large role in the Reptaliens’ overall performance, with band members dressing up as suited political figures or alien versions of the Creature from the Black Lagoon parading across the stage. Theatrics played a major role in the performance, but it wasn’t the bands crutch. It was clear that Reptilians’ sole purpose was to entertain, and they excelled in that regard.
Fresh off a Coachella appearance, Men I Trust took the stage next to serve up a platter of eclectic indie-pop. The Ontario group is known for its diverse musical palate, so it was interesting to see how their songs would translate live. If theatrics carried Reptaliens’ set, then it was sheer dynamics that carried singer/guitarist Emma Proux and company as they weaved through a wide spectrum of indie-pop for the better part of an hour. Highlights include upbeat numbers like the Italian Disco-inspired “Tailwhip” and the funk wallop of “Lauren”—both renditions highlighted MIT’s impressively tight rhythm section. As the lights dimmed and surged to complement the band’s moody cuts like “Show Me How” and “I Hope to Be Around,” it became apparent that this was the band in its element—stripped down, and without the theatrics of the prior band. Proux’ airy vocals nestled beautifully atop her reverb-soaked guitars, and multi-instrumentalists Jessy Caron and Dragos Chiriac chimed into the conversation with throbbing basslines and shimmering keys. As the climaxes in the ballads hit their peak, it felt like stumbling into a band as they were recording a session. It was a delight, to say the least.
The two openers were wonderful primers for Turnover, whose production was much more conceptual than the band’s previous Vegas visits. This time, the quartet placed us in a clay-constructed, psychedelic version of suburbia – complete with moving cars, mythical creatures, a burning sun, and dancing domestic partners. They executed this using two towering wood paintings near the side of the stage, and a giant projection that broadcasted the twisted neighborhood. It was an odd, yet fitting pairing—the screen’s vibrant colors were a nice supplement to Turnover’s easy-going indie rock. The quartet’s one-two punch opener of fan favorites was received warmly, and Getz smiled as fans swayed and sang along. It was a sentiment that was echoed throughout the set.
Sonically, it was Turnover at its best. The bouncing guitar melodies of “Hello Euphoria” pierced through with clarity; Danny Dempsy’s rolling bass line reverberated throughout the room during closer “Cutting My Fingers Off.” The band spent the majority of its set highlighting cuts from its 2017 effort Good Nature, with songs “Sunshine Type,” and “Supernatural” and “Good Nature” being the most receptive. Good nature, indeed.
-Ian Caramanzana
Photos by Hunter Wallace | https://www.flickr.com/photos/hunter_wallace/
Turnover
Men I Trust
Reptaliens
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