It was a beautiful All Hallows Eve in Echo Park – a crisp and cool night, several Jack Skellingtons walking about and yes, there was even street parking! Nomad Gallery and art compound opened their doors to host a Halloween event which showcased several great costumes (I think zombie Jesus was my favorite), old horror flicks projected on the walls and a great set from LA's own 400 Blows.
The band's following is a hearty mix of off-the-path scene kids, devout metal/punk fans and hardcore tone chasers. Mostly unheard of outside Los Angeles, the band has managed to cruise below the radar even after releasing two stellar albums - 'The Black Rainbow' (2003) and 'Angel's Trumpets and Devil's Trombones' (2005).
Playing their first show in sometime and with a slightly re-tooled lineup (though no ferocity lost), they erupted into 'The Beauty of Internal Darkness'. Lead vocalist, Skot, let it be known that 'this wasn't a reunion' and that 'they never left'. After proceeding to tear through a few new songs, Blows capped their night with the explosive 'Electric Wilderness' which sent the crowd into a beautiful chaos.
It would be a shame if this band didn't gain a larger following but, from what I can see, they don't mind one bit as long as their friends and fans are the same thing.
VIDEO: 400 Blows - 'Electric Wilderness' (live)
