Just Who the **** is Laurel Canyon?
What bands do you think of when you hear the name Laurel Canyon? Crosby Still & Nash? The Mamas & the Papas? The Byrds? A garage band from Pennsylvania? All correct. Just who is Laurel Canyon? Laurel Canyon is kinda new. They’ve been around for a few of years, but throw in the pandemic years and that shortens it a little bit. They have a self-titled new album on Agitated Records which collects some of their EP releases and adds a few new songs. Their Facebook page says “Laurel Canyon is composed of two guitarists, Nicholas Gillespie and Serg Cereja”. They are from Philadelphia via Allentown and Bethlehem, hardscrabble steel towns. They’ve played two shows at the legendary Whiskey a Go Go on Sunset Strip in L.A. opening for both Agent Orange and The Strawberry Alarm Clock.
Loud and Quiet says “the ’90s are back, and boy don’t we know it.” They mention Nirvana, Mudhoney, The Nuggets psychedelic compilations and grunge. Yeah, all of those can be found somewhere in the music of Laurel Canyon. The song “Excezema” echos Nirvana and Steve Albini produced a couple of tracks so there is that connection.
Then on the other hand Clash music says “they would sound equally at home in 70s CBGBs as they would hustling the same stages as the finest of the 00s garage rock revival.” They mention the Stooges and Blur. OK, Sure. That works too.
But the band I caught at a late show on a Tuesday night at the Mercury Lounge that featured three bands playing mostly to their family and friends, themselves – and me – wore suits, pin stripes, skinny ties, sunglasses, Beatles (Byrdsian) mop-tops and Rickenbakers (again those Byrds).
There were moments of rock n’roll brilliance throughout their set as Gillespie and Cereja traded off lead vocals and guitar riffs. Bassist Dylan Loccarini and drummer Chip Williams held down the back end. Flashbacks of clips of the Strokes residency at the Mercury from the movie “Meet me in the Bathroom” ran through my head. It could have been a great night if more of New York chose not to stay home. Laurel Canyon played to a small audience not willing to come too close to the stage, leaving plenty room for a few photographers including me to maneuver around our targets.
Maybe the audience can’t figure out who Laurel Canyon is either. Me? Who cares? They make a beautiful racket and I can’t stop listening to them. Do yourself a favor and listen to them and catch them when you can. They have a few New York and Pennsylvania dates on their calendar.
Full photo gallery including opener Whaat below
Author
Eric K. Andersen is a former record company weasel who currently goes to a lot of concerts and takes pictures. You can find his website by clicking the link icon below.