"Great sound, a killer playlist and atmospheric lighting adorned the Gayley street frat house."
A flyer for a show came upon my feed - Tuned In out of UCLA presenting Truman Sinclair with Dylan Thom and Emory for 7 bucks at a frat house. I felt an urge to go as I’ve been longing for a good ol’ fashioned house show. In a synchronistic fashion, I’d been reading Cool Town by Grace Elizabeth Hale which details the college scene in Athens, Georgia that fostered a groundbreaking music and art scene which The B52’s, Pylon and R.E.M. rose from (to name a few). There was a clash between UGA’s fraternity and sorority culture and the othered weirdo artists who defied establishment, tradition and prejudice. College towns across the US at that time reflected that same formula. UCLA has its own rich history of artists and musicians hailing from those windy, green speckled roads from John Cage, to Nancy Sinatra to The Doors. Iconoclastic artists who all challenged the system in their own ways and carved out their own communities within the confines of oppressive systems. Decades later, it’s beautiful to see how we have progressed despite the horrid state of things in the US right now. The culture of UCLA’s music and art scene is diverse, defiant, expressive and welcoming to all. Immensely talented artists performing to a slew of creatively inclined people, frat boys & artists alike. The kids really are alright.
Dylan Thom & his band of literal brothers opened the show and beckoned everyone toward the stage. They set the tone for the night with a flawless set and palpable energy, playing mostly tracks that are soon to be released. Their sound can be likened to Built to Spill, Elliott Smith and My Bloody Valentine but yet it’s something I’ve never quite heard before. I am wholeheartedly so stoked to hear the new releases, and Dylan expressed that he is really excited to share this new music soon in this new chapter of his career. His new single “Speak” is out now with much more to come.
Emory started her set without a word and like a siren, pulled everyone’s attention towards her unique and brilliant sound. She had a great set up, delivering robust and intricate sound in a solo set. Emory’s poetic and timely lyrics were so relatable and affecting. Her voice gave me chills and it was heartwarming to see the audience sway along, all of us enamored. Her most recent release entitled “Moth” is out now along with a music video, and I kind of feel like it’s impossible to not love and appreciate how carefully she crafts her genre defying tracks.
I think “good” music taste is a likely indicator that a person makes good music and Truman’s taste is certainly transmuted into his songwriting and musicality. Fugazi, Woodie Guthrie, Tom Petty, Black Sabbath. Trailblazers of resistance and defiance. While their influence is woven into his music, it’s entirely his own infectious sound. A recent USC grad, Truman has carefully honed his craft after years of playing solo and in bands - most recently with Frat Mouse and Fat, Evil Children. He just released his self produced first solo album American Recordings which is chillingly refreshing and just what we all need right now. When the band played “Mary” towards the end of their beautiful set I thought to myself, I don’t have to travel back in time to see Lemonheads in 1991. I don’t have to go back & see Bobby Dylan in 1966. I can just enjoy the present and watch Truman f**kin’ Sinclair. Give the man a guitar and a well placed capo and watch him go. Pure magic.
Tuned In cultivated an immaculate vibe. Great sound, a killer playlist and atmospheric lighting adorned the Gayley street frat house. The energy of the Tuned In crew and the crowd was jovial and kindhearted - it was hard not to have a smile on your face, engage, dance and pet cute dogs. To be frank, I’d attended a memorial earlier that day and was feeling pretty raw. I had thought deeply about a man who had a life well lived and fought for himself and his family. I stood with the bouncing crowd of caring and creative people as we watched each performer not miss a damn beat. I left that Gayley street frat house feeling inspired and hopeful in a time that is markedly a painful deep wound on our country and world at large. A collective grief and urgency to grasp for straws of humanity. I’ve been feeling the weight, but I’m hopeful we can carry it together and continue to make and share art as resistance.
Below you can find photos from the night, and the social media of these talented young wizards. Get into it and stay tuned for what’s next.
-Words and 35mm photos by Alyssa Holland
TRUMAN SINCLAIR
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DYLAN THOM
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EMORY
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https://www.instagram.com/emoryonline
https://www.instagram.com/trumansinclairr
UCLA Presents, indie rock, folk indie, emo, shoegaze, alt rock, bedroom pop, Truman Sinclair, Dylan Thom, Emory, University show, immaculate vibe, fantastic show, Gayley street, talented young wizards,
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THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM
https://www.instagram.com/emoryonline
https://www.instagram.com/trumansinclairr
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