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Sep 20, 2010 By Laura Studarus Photography by Wendy Lynch Redfern Local Natives

It’s a curious thing to watch a band grow up. Last August, former “Pleased to Meet You” artists Local Natives reached a new career high with a month long residency at Spaceland—a 290 capacity club tucked deep in the heart of Los Angeles’ Silver Lake district. Fast-forward a year and they’ve sold out two nights at the Henry Fonda Theater, a venue roughly six times the size. After months of near-constant touring, it was a fit homecoming, and a promising send-off to their fall tour.

Of course, it isn’t enough to simply coast local pride. Despite reports of a blistering set the night before, all five members once again commanded full attention, their delicious harmonies and intense percussion sounding even more vibrant than already top shelf debut, Gorilla Manor. The year since Spaceland has only managed to polish an already tight act. Performing in a near-straight line across the stage (with drummer Matt Frazier tucked slightly behind), band members didn’t need to look to each other for encouragement or visual cues—they just played, instinct already well refined past the point of mere aids.

The band carried the majority of the set with few additional frills or formalities (aside from the obligatory “It’s great to be here” and ear-to-ear smiles that proved they truly meant it.) There were, however, a few notable exceptions. The crescendos of “Who Knows, Who Cares” were augmented with a cellist, while “Shape Shifter” featured the house brass band—both to the audience’s continuing delight. But the truly telling moment came at the end of the night, when as a coda to an already fantastic set, they whipped out show-stopper “Sun Hands,” a song that features intricate hand claps and a shouted chorus. Without instruction, the audience matched them clap for clap, shout for shout. A rock star moment in front of a hometown crowd, for sure. But hardly a surprising one. Even in days of tiny hipster joints, it was clear Local Natives were going nowhere but up.

Set List:

1. Camera Talk

2. World News

3. Warning Sign

4. Cards and Quarters

5. Sticky Thread

6. Wide Eyes

7. Shape Shifter

8. Cubism Dream

9. Airplanes

10. Who Knows, Who Cares

Encore:

11. Stranger Things

12. Sun Hands

(www.thelocalnatives.com)