LIVE REPORT ~ The Slants: November 11 2007

PMX Los Angeles, CA

First off, The Slants are not a Jrock band, so why even bother writing a live report about a band that’s not related to the “Jrock” in Jrock Events USA? As a long-winded explanation to “authentic” Jrock fans who find any song lacking Japanese or Engrish lame: blabbity blabbity bla bla bla. And to everyone else? They ROCK!

Hailing from Portland, Oregon, The Slants brought their brand of stardusty electro-rock to Los Angeles, filtering the calm mood with energized power direct from the orient. The badass six-some entered to a key track from Kill Bill. Already, eyebrows were raising. They had managed to pique everyone’s curiosity early on. With Simon Young on bass, Johnny on guitars, Gaijin and Jen Cho on keyboards (yes! TWO keyboardists!), and AC on drums, the last member took to the stage, complete with spacey glasses and a drawn on mustache, the voice behind The Slants, Aron. Their numbers complete, they ripped into the first song, Welcome to Doomtown.

This was a fascinating song to unleash first because it gave a glimpse into and set the stage for all the songs that were to follow. A little bit of everything can be picked up in the music of The Slants, but they heavily emphasize the electro rock angle. Remnants of the 80s leak into their sound. But for the dance nerd in everyone, the music of The Slants called out and commanded forth the desire to rock out, let loose, or just plain and simply – to move.

The Slants have chemistry when they perform, but it’s more than just chemistry, it’s equilibrium. No member outshines the other. Everyone has their own flair which merits its own spotlight. It’s easy to see, for instance, that Simon has an intense love for the bass, treating it more like a partner than an instrument. The result is in fierce solos that verge on epic. Johnny is the subdued guitarist, relying more on his cool character which somehow creeps into his playing as well. AC hammers out on drums like a crazed lunatic, which is the only way drums should be played when the song calls for loud, fast, and rampant! Jen Cho and Gaijin play the keyboards as voraciously as if a love child between Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles had been birthed, bloomed, and bathed in the electronic firelight that is china town dance rock. Lead vocalist, Aron, has certainly been blessed with an impressive set of pipes. It’s refreshing to hear long, clear notes uncluttered by wavy vibratos and screeching one-noters. Not to mention he’s got some smooth moves going on that were fun to watch, if not to stare at.

It’s obvious The Slants perform with a lot of heart, which is essential for anyone’s music viewing pleasure. A crappy performance can kill a good song, and The Slants had more than enough of those to share. Capture Me Burning was a song described by Aron as, “a dance song, so you all have to dance.” Within the first few melodies, a small group gathered inside the large crowd had practically formulated their own rave – they were so lost in the music. Frankly, it’s hard not to let a foot tap, a head bob. Instinctively songs like Capture Me Burning and We Will Never Die demand the attention of any soul looking to escape for one night of rocking out and dancing.

After the previous two concerts at Pacific Media Expo, The Slants was a bit unexpected. Hard to categorize, but distinct enough to tell where the influences are, nostalgic but inventive. They plugged their electronic energy into the audience so hard that the static of The Slants remained in that room long after they had left the stage.

set list

Welcome to Doomtown
We Will Never Die
Sakura, Sakura
I Want Everything
Kokoro
Love Within My Sins
Stranglehold
Capture Me Burning
Vice Versus Virtue


photos and report by Sarah

Thank you to PMX and The Slants for making this possible.