In keeping with keeping on, I was digging through all my old blog prep, and found this show from The Joy Formidable. Unfortunately, this one never made it online, before I decided to hit the pause button earlier this year.
As it turns out, I’ve got a few of these live shows in various states of readiness. And honestly, thank the stars for that, seeing that we’re all suffering through this seemingly endless drought of live entertainment. Many of these will be showing up in the imminent future.
For now, let’s get started with this near-forgotten entry from Welsh alternative power-pop, post-punk rockers The Joy Formidable.
They performed the Teragram Ballroom in DTLA late last year to commemorate the 10th anniversary of their ’08 breakthrough EP “A Balloon Called Moaning.” That was on December 21st, a mere four days before what now appears to be our last normal Christmas for the foreseeable future.
Wow, that seems like a lifetime ago. But I guess that months of stay-at-home quarantine tend to distort time … and headspace. Oh well …
From what I recall, this show was a bombastic blast of high-energy, guitar-spiked, shakin’ and rollin’, not-so-average indie rock that could get even the most cynical of us movin’ and groovin’.
For the record, the Joy Formidable, comprised of lead vocalist/guitarist Rhiannon “Ritzy” Bryan, vocalist/bassist Rhydian Dafydd, and drummer Matthew James Thomas, have been tearing things up since ’07.
I’ve seen the trio a few times, dating all the way back to ’11 with their debut album “The Big Roar.” The history gets a little confusing, since “A Balloon Called Moaning” is actually their official debut, despite not being classified as a full studio album. Also, a handful of tracks from that ’08 EP made their way onto “The Big Roar,” which seemingly resulted in pushing that earlier effort into the background. So all things considered, this particular anniversary tour felt like a raucous clarification on that matter, whether intentional or not.
In the years since, The Joy Formidable have crafted three more albums, each embracing a progressive complexity and feverish intensity, ultimately evolving into the blistery and motley crew that you see before you today. I feel like every time I catch The Joy Formidable, they just get better and better with age.
But I think it was earlier in the year, at The Cure’s Pasadena Daydream Festival, that really made me stop and take notice. I knew they were good. But I somehow forgot that they were unequivocally great, producing so much sound and furious fury (when the moment called for it) that they transcended themselves.
Anyway, here’s a selection of ear-pleasing highlights from The Joy Formidable’s almost forgotten (at least, by me) Teragram Ballroom show. I’ve got six of the eight tracks from “A Balloon Called Moaning,” followed by five additional favorites, including “I Don’t Want to See You Like This” and “The Everchanging Spectrum of a Lie.”
Stay safe and enjoy!
The Joy Formidable perform “The Greatest Light is the Greatest Shade” and “Cradle” to commemorate the 10 year anniversary of “A Balloon Called Moaning” at the Teragram Ballroom on 12.21.19.
The Joy Formidable perform “Austere” to commemorate the 10 year anniversary of “A Balloon Called Moaning” at the Teragram Ballroom on 12.21.19.
The Joy Formidable perform “Whirring” to commemorate the 10 year anniversary of “A Balloon Called Moaning” at the Teragram Ballroom on 12.21.19.
The Joy Formidable perform “The Last Drop” to commemorate the 10 year anniversary of “A Balloon Called Moaning” at the Teragram Ballroom on 12.21.19.
The Joy Formidable wrap up their 10 year anniversary performance of “A Balloon Called Moaning” with “Ostrich,” followed by performances of “Y Bluen Eira” and “I Don’t Want to See You Like This,” at the Teragram Ballroom on 12.21.19.
The Joy Formidable perform the unreleased track “Passerby” at the Teragram Ballroom on 12.21.19.
The Joy Formidable perform “Silent Treatment” at the Teragram Ballroom on 12.21.19.
The Joy Formidable perform “The Everchanging Spectrum of a Lie” at the Teragram Ballroom on 12.21.19.
