Concert Review: The Drums liven up the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles 

Indie-alternative rock band, The Drums, have been a staple in the indie-alt scene since the release of their self-titled debut album in 2010. Though the band has been through many changes within the past decade, the release of their new album “Brutalism” has shown that the future still holds an exciting path for the band to go down.

The Drums performed at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles en route of their North American album tour on July 27.

Originally consisting of four band members, The Drums is now made up of and fronted by its founder Jonny Pierce. Pierce’s creativity has allowed the group to release five albums since 2010, each with a different vibe and flare than the last.

Each release of an album came with it a different amount of members in the band, resulting in their discography itself to be a looking glass into their ten year history. 

“Brutalism” was released in April of this year, and is what Pierce considers to be the most vulnerable Drums album to date. This is the first album to come from Pierce himself, and captures the feelings of insecurity and struggles that came with his journey.  

Pierce performs “Heart Basel” (Noor Aldayeh / L.A. Times HS Insider)

The Palladium was packed to the brim with five thousand excited fans raving about seeing their favorite band live. Nearly the second the lights dimmed the audience erupted into loud cheers, which only increased upon Pierce’s entrance to the set.

The artists’ stage presence was absolutely captivating, with his constant lengthy and flowy movements capturing an air of suave similar to the likes of a wildy famous rockstar. 

The band played a handful of their biggest hits throughout the night, including “Best Friend,” “Let’s Go Surfing” and “Money.” From “Brutalism” we heard songs such as “Body Chemistry,” “Loner” and “626 Bedford Avenue.”

The set was a great mix of songs from each of the band’s albums, giving fans an exciting mix of nostalgia and new material. 

Pierce continued to move swiftly around the stage, his improvised choreography like a ventriloquist-eque ballerina. The visual effects only added on to the aesthetics of the show, with flashing lights, an ever-changing LED screen backdrop, and at one point even young dancers who joined Pierce on the stage.

Concert-goers reflected the liveliness of the stage, forming dance circles, yelling lyrics at the top of their lungs, some even going so far as crowd-surfing. Pierce used a moment in between songs to share a sweet sentiment. 

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“A few years ago, when I had all my band members walk away and I was really scared and feeling wildly insecure, this is the community that embraced me,” Pierce said. “Your love has really been the foundation of my inspiration. And I feel connected, I feel loved, I feel lifted. And my deepest wish is that you feel the same way.”

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Another wonderful addition to the night was the exciting opening act, Chai. The badass all-female Japanese rock quartet wowed the crowd with songs from their new album “Punk.” Their wildly cheerful demeanor and cutesy yet absolutely jam-worthy set made for a perfect start to the night. 

Setlist: 

1. Days
2. Best Friend
3. Heart Basel 
4. Body Chemistry 
5. Book of Stories
6. Mirror 
7. Brutalism 
8. I Can’t Pretend
9. Loner 
10. Let’s Go Surfing 
11. Money 
12. 626 Bedford Avenue 
13. How It Ended

Encore: 

1. Rich Kids
2. Book of Revelation
3. Blood Under My Belt