The first and only other time I had seen the Californian band Local Natives was at New York’s large outdoor festival, Governor’s Ball. But they were clearly more excited to be playing these two nights in New York, where they crafted their newest album Hummingbird, and at Terminal 5, their largest headlining shows in the city. Wild Nothing were the openers for the first evening while Lucius opened on the second night.
Since their 2010 debut, Gorilla Manor, the band has evolved their sound. As CMJ described it, “Hummingbird grew away from the youthfulness of Gorilla Manor into a somber, direct account of people who have truly experienced heartbreak and despair. This evolution of musical direction was evident… during “Airplanes” and “Colombia”, the pain and sadness in each song’s lyrics could be felt throughout the venue, with the audience suddenly taking on a more serious demeanor during an otherwise lively evening.” But the band left the audience on a much happier note. As they closed with their 2010 hit, the sun-drenched and dreamy “Sun Hands”, the audience dutifully and blissfully responded by raising their arms toward the sun.
Visit our Facebook page to see more images from the Local Natives Show!
Setlist:
Breakers
World News
Wide Eyes
Warning Sign (Talking Heads)
Ceilings
You & I
Black Balloons
Shape Shifter
Mt. Washington
Wooly Mammoth
Black Spot
Camera Talk
Airplanes
Bowery
Who Knows, Who Cares (acoustic)
[encore break]
Colombia
Heavy Feet
Sun Hands