Show: We Were Promised Jetpacks
Date: February 23, 2014
Venue: El Rey Theatre
City: Los Angeles, CA
We Were Promised Jetpacks
Photos by Nicolas Bates
Written by Dan Sinclair
Before the main event ever takes place at the world famous El Rey Theatre, this writer can already tell he’s in for quite a treat. After all, it’s a sold-out show here for Edinburgh, Scotland’s own We Were Promised Jetpacks. But on top of that, an angry dude is escorted out of the building while an even drunker woman laughs after falling by the bar. I hope nobody promised either of them jetpacks.
Before long the Scottish lads get the show started. Darren Lackie’s steady-pumping drum beat is the first sound heard after the loud cheers from the crowd, joined by Sean Smith’s smooth bass line. Shortly thereafter the whole gang’s in on the fun with Michael Palmer on guitar, Stuart McGachan manning both keyboards and guitar and lead singer/guitar man Adam Thompson standing front and center. And this mounting symphony of feedback-heavy harmony is not only the beginning, it’s a microcosm of what the band does best.
We Were Promised Jetpacks (WWJP) are one of those joys to see live. Much like Augustines (this month’s previous RUKUS show at the Troubadour), WWPJ add an amazing element to their sound playing live that just simply cannot be captured on record. Though they will certainly try it with their new live album E Rey: Live in Philadelphia. There’s a certain passion and love for what they do that comes through when these guys play their instruments and sing their lungs out in front of dedicated fans that many bands just cannot duplicate.
Soon after the introductory song, Thompson sings, “If I was a writer/I’d write my opinions/Save them for later/Just to see how wrong I could be.” It’s “Human Error” off of In the Pit of the Stomach, which the true fans in the audience recognize instantly and start to sing along. Even the drunk people here just for the party can’t help but dance to the catchy beat.
And just to keep things going, the next song is “Quiet Little Voices,” and the whole place erupts as it seems to be everyone in the El Rey’s favorite song in the world. And why shouldn’t it be? It’s an amazing poppy, punky bit of rock and roll that makes you sing along and tap your foot even if you don’t know the words and can’t dance. Seriously, if you don’t like this song, you probably lead a very miserable life and hate yourself—and that’s a fact. The best part of seeing the live version of “Quiet Little Voices” is watching Michael Palmer patiently wait, standing still until the chorus comes and he attacks his guitar as if it killed his family. Fucking intense!
Next up WWJP plays “Peace Sign” and “Wee Guy” before Thompson says to the happy crowd, “We’re We Were Promised Jetpacks and we’re from Scotland. Thanks for coming out.” It’s at this point where the writer ponders what would happen if all bands were from Scotland? Well, then all vocals would sound awesome, that’s what would happen. Because aside from that unique sound that’s somewhere between Sonic Youth and Fat Cat label buddies/fellow Scots Frightened Rabbit, it’s that deeply emotional voice of the lead singer that really allows WWJP to stand apart from all others in the music world.
“Roll Up Your Sleeves,” “Sore Thumb,” “Boy in the Backseat,” “Ships with Holes Will Sink,” “Keeping Warm,” “Pocket Vomit”… every song starts with a mounting, bonding beginning and finishes with a big wow as if each one could possibly be the one the band likes to play most.
But it’s the final song of the set, “It’s Thunder and It’s Lightning,” that stands tall as the highlight of the night. It’s the epitome of the kind of song that’s just so much better live than what you can hear on a studio album. As the song builds, you can practically hear the hearts pounding inside each and every audience member ready to explode for Thompson to belt out, “Your body was black and blue!” It’s not as much a song as a life moment no true music fan in attendance will forget.
Just think: if more bands were promised jetpacks, more bands would be amazing live.