Staff Editor on May 22nd, 2022

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A fan in the crowd at Delta’s Spirit’s album-release show Friday night at the Lodge Room was overhead relating how she traveled all the way from Columbus, Ohio, to L.A. to see the Southern California-bred band. She flew in on Delta Airlines, she said, and was returning home on Spirit.

Her flight of fancy was exemplary of the devotion shown to the charismatic quintet whose members now reside all over North America and who were in typically high spirits for a concert celebrating their sixth full-length, “One Is One.”

Frontman Matthew Logan Vasquez aptly described the evening’s fare as “epic and cinematic music,” and although Delta Spirit performed but one song from the new album (“What’s Done Is Done”), he and his bandmates had the fans cheering and screaming from the first notes of their opener, “From Now On.”

For those at the front of the stage, the moment before their third song “Parade” elicited some laughs. Prior to the start of the set, one of the stagehands asked everyone at the front to make sure that no drinks were put on the stage as he did not want any spills. Everyone nodded in agreement. But almost immediately, Vasquez tipped over his can of sparkling Water. The stagehand came out to clean up the mess, which included a soggy setlist. In response, Vasquez said, “He stole my setlist.”

The expansiveness of their music stood out in “Into the Wide.” “This song is about national parks.” And to specifically address the Los Angeles urban crowd, “Have you ever been outside? It is f*cking awesome.” The music definitely had one feeling the grandeur of America’s national parks.

“People C’mon” had the crowd stomping. The tender opening of “Hold My End Up” as well as the light display put on by the Lodge Room had the audience swaying as if through an enchanted forest. Couples in the rear of the venue danced romantically until the final note.

“Bushwick Blues” — now 12 years old — was “dedicated to a friend’s baby who isn’t here yet.” As the set neared its conclusion, it was mentioned that it was “so wonderful to see old familiar faces” and with that, the band launched into their song “California.”

For the final encore, the band went on an extended improvisation that had the fans leaving in high spirits.

Overall, Delta Spirit’s set leaned heavily on their early work — seven songs from their 2008 debut “Ode to Sunshine,” and three apiece from their second, third and fourth albums, respectively.

Opening the night was Palm Palm. Due to all of Delta Spirit’s gear, the band played on a third of the stage, but this Richmond, Virginia outfit made good use of it. With their Southern Rock performance energy and foot stomping that blasted across the Lodge Room, they quickly won over the Delta Spirit fans. “Do you trust us, yet?” was yelled from the stage. The band gave a thrilling performance using gear that included the perfect advertisement for duct tape. How can a band use duct tape? To seal up a tear on the bass drum.

Delta Spirit’s setlist: From Now On, Strange Vine, Parade, Tear It Up, What’s Done is Done, Into the Wide, Yamaha, People C’Mon, Hold My End Up, St. Francis, Bushwick Blues, Children, How Bout It, California. Encore: Streetwalker, Trashcan.

Photos and recap by by Notes From Vivace

||| Stream: “One Is One”