Best CoastFor some reason or another, surf pop has the pervasive ability to ignite positive attitudes and encourage listeners to have a boogie in the light of this unconsented sense of ecstasy. Whether it be the incessant 'woahs' or 'ooohs', this genre of music inspires ritual singalongs and hand claps, as evidenced by Best Coast's live show at The Metro, which was rife with such behaviour. With Brisbane lads Dune Rats bringing feel-good vibes to the stage, the boys warmed up for the headliners with a sugary sweet set of '60s-inspired pop jams. Their endearing nonchalance drove the performance as well as their unique nature as a duo and inherent ability to multitask.
As Best Coast commenced their performance, legs instantly began to shuffle as the tunes began to invade the crowd's collective earhole. As the smell of marijuana and sweat rose, likeable front woman Bethany Cosentino's melodic vocals were euphoria-inducing and riddled with her amiable West Coast accent. Performing Our Deal, we saw how the simplistic instrumental layering translated effectively in a live setting and it was made grittier through its flaws. Although at times sounding mildly repetitive, Best Coast managed to consistently capture the audience's attention, who all appeared to be equally as insouciant as the band themselves. Understandably, Best Coast's Californian-pop congeniality and lyrics revolving around being infatuated by boys and sweet summer vibrations makes them tremendously popular among the puberty-stricken age bracket. It was in fact this teenage demographic that demonstrated the most passion towards the band through dramatic wispy dance moves and a determination to be as close to the stage as possible. As the crowd chanted the word “boyfriend” unwaveringly, the glistening guitar intro sent the crowd into a frenzy with each member of the audience mouthing the words boisterously. Mid-song, Danny of Dune Rats came onstage to join the festivities, getting down with Cosentino for the choral overture.
