Dante vs Zombies – at Spaceland – Silverlake, CA

One thing is for sure, Los Angeles really is a hodgepodge for the music scene. I have been to a ton of shows and seen a ton of things. There's bands that dress up in masks, or costumes, or have face paint. Most if it ends up being very lame. If you have been to local shows you know what I mean.

I walked into the Silverlake haven for hipsters known as Spaceland a little after 10pm and a band was already sound checking. A girl in a pink cowboy style outfit, a drummer in scrubs with a sars mask, a singer in some glittery monk style robe with the hat Paul Revere wore, and the popular indie duo of male guitar wielding nerd with attractive girl on keys. It looked like the rejects from Pee Wee's playhouse.

I then checked the set schedule to see what this group was called.

Dante vs Zombies

Costumes and a band name like Dante vs Zombies? No wonder the place seemed empty.

I wasn't even going to pull my camera out and was going to walk over to the empty bar but watched the first song. After about 30 seconds my mouth dropped open and stayed that way through the whole song as I frantically assembled the camera never looking away from the stage.

This opening track, "Branded by Nuns", started off with a noisy collective collection of whoooooooaaaaaas and incredible distorted guitar licks. Catchy to the point of foot taping until the guitars broke out with another whooooooaaaaa! And then more overdriven guitar riffs that make this young guy think of the 50s garage sound that people try to replicate but fail.

Dante vs Zombies do not fail on this.  Oh and the vocals are just great. The falsettos that Dante White can hit while dancing around the stage leave you mesmerized.

If you take your eyes of Dante for a minute you may end up missing him try to put the mic in the face of other members playing bass and accidentally smash them in the face with it.

"Relax, There is a Ghost in Charge" really stuck out in the set as being something that could go any way. At times Dante just seranades you over dreamy distortion before letting it wail to the levels of Justin Hawkins (of The Darkness). There is also a full on guitar guitar run in the middle that just screams indie dance party and the once empty venue that had filled up was finally up and grooving.

The band also has some range. It is not all just distorted licks and kitchy screams.

The band stripped it down with an (upset black)* acoustic for their closer Oblivion. Even without all the fuzz they never stray away from that 50's vibe. The kind that makes you want to sway from left to right and put your head on your sweeties shoulder. It even makes you want to join along with the full band woo hoo, hoos.

Well I guess they still keep the kitchyness.

Oh I stole the setlist at the end incase you were wondering why someone who had never knew a band could fill in the songs they played.  You can sing along with them too www.facebook.com/pages/Dante-Vs-Zombies or www.myspace.com/wwwdantevszombies

They really are one of the best bands I have seen in a long time and they haven't been doing shows for long.

 

Carl Pocket
Big Wheel Music Scene Reporter

 

More photos of the show can be seen HERE

 
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