Review: Autolux at SOhO Restaurant & Music Club

The small-ish crowd who were fortunate enough to see Autolux perform at SOhO on Thursday got a taste of the L.A. music scene veterans’ third record might sound like. Not because Autolux actually played any of their new songs, but because the night was full of moments which felt alive(see our interview with drummer Carla Azar for reference).

The small size of the crowd gave the show the kind of intimacy that’s always memorable, even if it’s a bit uncomfortable at times. But all in all, that worked to the evening’s advantage — a handful of awkward interactions with some “wine-tasting” patrons not withstanding. Impromptu song requests from the crowd would re-shape the group’s encore. Lead singer/bassist Eugene Goreshtar even admonished those gathered around the stage by saying they were “one of the best small crowds” they’ve ever performed for.

One of the high-points of Autolux’s set was “Turnstile Blues,” though it’s tough to single a highlight out in a performance that felt riddled with “oh shit” moments. Autoux’s set felt like rock music. Not pop-synth-indie-gaze or nü-folk or ironic rap-metal. Instruments were played and mangled, and nary a request was made to “put your hands up.” Behind the kit, Azar’s rhythms served as a pseudo-backbone for an array of musical textures and sounds, culminating in noises new and uniquely pleasing, all produced by the people on stage, most of which in a literal, tangible way.

“We’ll be back. After our record is released,” Azar said afterwards. We can hardly wait.