S.Lo on February 8th, 2020

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Wednesday night’s show at the Echo with Fever Joy, Luna Aura, Talker and Phebe Starr was like watching ships passing in perfectly coordinated choreography through the night, as Talker (led by Celeste Tauchar) and her band just got back from their five-date tour through the West Coast, and this was the second date of Luna Aura and Fever Joy’s four-date romp across California and Phoenix.

Luna Aura graced the stage in a white sash and satin gloves, befitting the title of her upcoming EP “Three Cheers For the American Beauty.” Not long after the first punch of the kick, she and her band broke out of the niceties of tongue-in-cheek pageant mode and went full attack à la Beastie Boys and Rage Against the Machine. It was a great combination of rap, punk and rock with a deep beat that got in your face about owning one’s sexuality and questioning perceptions of femininity.

Worked up in a sweat, the packed crowd showed all love for Fever Joy. Vocalist Avery Robitaille had a wardrobe malfunction early in the set for which she found a faithful fan in front to fix. She and drummer Sean Baker never missed a beat, though. Even with heavy support from tracks, they still made it feel like a live performance. Hopefully someday they’ll have full band support so Robitaille can focus on commanding the stage with the meaning of the songs and not just physically trying to fill the space. Making do as a duo, though, they pulled off the performance of their debut EP “Reflections” well and connected with the audience. At one point, the singer spoke about the “… embodiment of balance and how integral it is to the human experience” and how the last year knocked them off kilter with the loss of band members and family. At her request, audience members brought out their phone lights and struck their lighters for the next song in support. 

Talker and her band rocked a strong set from her debut EP “Horror Films,” plus newer material, with passion and great riffs leading up to the headliners. On the heels of a week-long tour (opening for Madi Sipes & the Painted Blue), which brought them from San Francisco to Vancouver, they were a well-oiled locomotive ready to bring the roof down in their hometown. They also hit their great cover of Sheryl Crow’s “Soak Up the Sun” out of the park.  Talker will release a new EP in early March.

L.A.-via-Sydney singer-songwriter Phebe Starr opened the night, presented by KROQ Locals Only.

Photos and review by S.Lo