Camera Obscura shares the love at the Wiltern

Seraphina Lotkhamnga on June 21st, 2013

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It was a packed house at the Wiltern on Tuesday night when Camera Obscura stopped by in support of their latest album “Desire Lines.” There was no doubt that the Scottish septet could fill up the room, but the audience was surprisingly rambunctious. Considering the band’s repertoire of sweet indie pop, fans acted as if they were seeing the biggest rock star on Earth with thunderous roars and cheers every after song.

||| Photos by Carl Pocket

Of course, Camera Obscura’s music is worth every crazed “Thank you!” screamed from the crowd. Tracyanne Campbell’s pure vocals oozed melodrama on opening numbers such as “Do It Again” and “Let’s Get Out of This Country.” Harmonies from bandmate Carey Lander added luster to newer songs off of “Desire Lines” like “Break It to You Gently,” as well as ballads like “Fifth In Line to the Throne” and bittersweet “Tears for Affairs.” However, the most enthusiasm came when one of those many guitars on stage would rip out a massive solo or the trumpet would take prominence in those jangly twee melodies.

“How are you?” Campbell asked after a few songs into the set. “We must have met half of you at Amoeba,” she gushed, if that gives you any idea how many fans showed up for the band’s in-store in Hollywood earlier in the day. This conversation, too, was greeted by hysterical screams, which were always audible due to the band waiting for the backing track to start on some songs.

Half the time, the screams demanded the group’s most beloved song “French Navy” to be next in the set. But Campbell and crew made sure to dip into songs off of “Let’s Get Out of This Country” first. The opening measures of “Lloyd, I’m Ready To Be Heartbroken” really drove the house into a dancing frenzy that continued for “If Looks Could Kill.”

After closing with “Come Back Margaret,” fans knew “French Navy” off of “My Maudlin Career” had to be a part of the encore, and they weren’t wrong. The band returned to the stage to sandwich the tune in between the title track of “Desire lines” and “Razzle Dazzle Rose.” Â Although Campbell apologized for a few minor technical difficulties during the encore – “If you’ve seen us before, it’s par for the course” – the crowd were still in too much of a dazzled stupor to let it bother them.

Nashville-based Photo Ops opened the night.