I had been anxiously awaiting May 14th for weeks. I could not have
been more excited about seeing the Damnwells team up with Ari Hest at
the Troubadour in Los Angeles. I have been a long time fan of the
Damnwells and just recently within the past few months have become
very intrigued by Ari Hest, who is not at all new to the folk rock world and
has been releasing albums for a few years now. His latest release
Break In on Columbia was released on May 1st of this year (you need a copy!) and has been quickly gaining the attention of many.

The troubadour is quite possibly one of the most intimate places for
a show in Los Angeles, which made it the perfect setting for this show.
I spoke above about Ari Hest gaining the attention of many and that
could not have been more the case during his performance.

Among the already quite diverse fans – the young and the old(er) that were in
attendance was Ms. Scarlett Johansson lovingly attached to Ryan
Reynolds. Also in attendance were members of the band Ingram  Hill (13
going on 30 soundtrack). Although Ari and The Damnwells were not
playing in front of a sold out crowd they had done their fair share
filling the room with many eager listeners.

Ari Hest’s had a sincerity in his live performance that really captured the attention of the audience. At times it did seem that the band behind him was almost awkward in their appearance and the way they engaged with one another. That awkwardness moved my attention off of the music here and there. Ari Hest put on a genuine performance and musically was very tight. Towards the end of his set he played an incredible cover of Peter Gabriel’s “Mercy Street”.

 

The Damnwells followed Ari Hest and put on an excellent show as well. Singer Alex Dezen gave a heartfelt performance and engaged with the crowd with a comfortable honesty. They played many songs off of their new album Air Stereo — which I also recommend to everyone! The Damnwells have an originality that sets them above par within their genre. I was quite impressed by their performance and am eagerly awaiting the next show.

When either of these artists make it through your town – be sure to check out the show. If  you don’t own either of their albums make sure to check them out!