Local Natives brought the LA sun to Leicester for the final day of Summer Sundae to show the Midlands how to do things the Californian way.
Showcasing their début album, Gorilla Manor, the band played their own breed of harmonious guitar driven indie-rock, fully utilising the vocal duality of frontmen Taylor Rice and Kelsey Ayer.
All boots, beards and moustaches the Natives are every bit the West Coast triumph, and their infectious on-stage chemistry permeates the gathered crowd. Converting them to a Local Native way of thinking.
Whisking the Main Stage faithful away “along the Champs-Elysees” with Camera Talk and other favourites including Airplanes, and Talking Heads cover: Warning Sign – the tracks find new dynamics in the open, live setting.
Visibly buoyed by the festival’s chilled out vibe, the band synchronised with the mood felt on a lazy Sunday with those who still had some party left in them.
Politely acknowledging the crowd in between songs the Natives have eased into their newly found fame well. This all comes after a mere two years together: after garnering a decent amount of press coverage following a couple of rewarding SXSW’s, a summer of playing festivals worldwide, the quintet pulled in one of the crowds of the weekend.
The set was without a doubt one of the highlights of Summer Sundae, and a coup for the festival all round. The Local Natives are set for very big things in the coming years, and with names like Clash and Pitchfork behind them it’s no wonder that people are starting to take notice and say out loud: ‘I was there’.
Words and Photo by Samuel Ballard
