Local Natives have come a long way. Five years ago, they were selling knives to housewives by day and masquerading as rock stars at night. Fast-forward to Wednesday night: the L.A. band played a sold-out Fox Theater in Oakland.
l Natives is getting ready to hit the road again to support their sophomore effort, “Hummingbird,” which drops tomorrow. After kicking off their tour with sold-out shows in their L.A. home base, the band takes their brand of psychedelic indie pop up to Oakland this Wednesday.
All things considered, The National’s concert Saturday night at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium had all the elements of a terrible show. Picture the band performing gloomy songs about bad friendships in a drab venue located in a sketchy area of San Francisco. However, calling the concert terrible could not be farther from the truth.
Local Natives are a step back–a reversion for those willing to just sit back and listen to the idyllic offerings of layered vocal harmonies, delicate string arrangements and soft-spoken guitars.