Best Coast @ Terminal 5, 7/17/12

Any frequent reader of Hipster Runoff knows Best Coast as a favorite topic to rag on. I became a fan last year from that exposure, especially enjoying their single, ‘When I’m With You‘. One good song is all I need to check out a live show. That policy proved wrong tonight though, for this was easily one of the worst concerts I’ve been to.

Best Coast’s current tour is in support of their middling second release, The Only Place. It’s not terrible on it’s own merit, but it’s trite compared to their first album, Crazy for You. It all just sounds the same and reeks of a sophomore slump. Their music isn’t made any more entertaining live, nor was anything else done to make them interesting on stage.

The bigger the venue booked, the more we expect from the artist. A show at a venue as large as Terminal 5 is a waste without notable visuals or other, significant live enhancements. At least Best Coast adds a live drummer and bassist. Too bad naught else was done than just standing around and playing.

The worst part of this night had to be the audience. I was always under the impression Best Coast was popular mainly with hipsters, but the majority of fans here were entitled kids. They reacted with violence towards any sort of crowd engagement that got in their personal space. “Moshing?! At my show?! Better respond with punches and kicks!” As a result, animosity was everywhere up front, peaking with a fist fight. The hostile atmosphere absolutely did not make things fun.

All was not bad, for our openers tonight were both worthy. I’ve gushed plenty about DIIV already. They went through their album, Oshin, before closing with their loudest song, “Doused,” their next single. Those Darlins are an alternative country band out of Nashville and were new for me. Its two frontwomen actually held real stage presence while rocking out, with music much fresher a sound for me. I’d be very happy catching them on their own tour next time around.