Bills in the air and a t-shirt cannon at the Regency Ballroom with Electric Guest

Electric Guest took the music world by storm with their first album Mondo (2012). Mondo worked as an introductory album into the 2012 rage of indie bands. It fit into the mold of popular Indie Top 100 charts that shaped high school music tastes (mine included). Their music was an essential playlist addition when I first got my license and was able to drive down to the beach or listen to while in detention. In the next years, Plural (2017) came out which had a different level of magnetic beats and instrumentation. With each new album and single, Electric Guest seemed to be allowing listeners into their world of finding their true sound. Now comes Kin (2019) which switches from the insecurity and indecision of past albums into something that simply feels right. This growth and peak of Electric Guest does not imply the end of a reigning era in the world of alternative and indie music for them; instead it establishes their gravitation towards a pop sound and a satisfaction of knowing that in reality, Electric Guest can become anything.

The duo that makes up Electric Guest consists of the multi-talented Matthew Compton, who has worked and performed with alternative magnates Cold War Kids, and Asa Taccone, singer-songwriter who was nominated for a Grammy after working on Portugal. The Man’s catchy, chart-topping song “Feel It Still” in 2017.

Electric Guest’s setlist at the Regency Ballroom included music from past albums, but really allowed the audience to appreciate the established pop essence featured in Kin. “Get Out” was the first song performed which allowed the audience to hear Taccone’s high notes and warm their body up for the energy everyone was sure they would bring to the venue. They did not disappoint. Dollars (fake ones! according to a sheepish and amused Taccone) were thrown in the air during “Dollar,” a keyboard malfunction during “Waves” accompanied by a jovial “that’s live music for ya,” a t-shirt cannon almost injuring a few heads, and Taccone teasing his mother for requesting 10 plus ones for the show were some of the moments that stood out initially. These situations could have been seen as interruptions to the show, but instead they served as an expression of the band’s comfort with being real with the audience and feeling at home in the Bay Area, where Taccone hails from. “1 4 Me” and “24/7” from Kin were performed which made the energy amorous and easily got everyone dancing. The frontman’s own dance moves proved to be popular, with people screaming as he slivered and bopped around stage in a way that only Taccone can do.

One moment that solidified the audience into nurturing the night’s experience was Taccone’s mother being invited up on stage to say a few words. She expressed her love for the band, for her son, and when asked to bestow some wisdom to the audience her words were loud and clear: we are all connected to nature…and each other. This tangent felt indispensable to the event and made everyone comfortable with each other. It brought strangers together in an environment that can be disjointed. Electric Guest has never shied away from advocating for movements like #BlackLivesMatter and LGBTQ rights, and their lyrics have always shown a realistic connection that fans are able to make. Their encore and final song was “Dear To Me” which had couples embracing and people swaying happily after being drained from dancing. It was the perfect finale to a night filled with a myriad of emotions.

Kin has indicated Electric Guest is not yet done with adapting their sound. Though it ventures deeper into the pop sector, past work reflects that Electric Guest is an ever-changing duo that will not cease to experiment and work on projects that inspire and break their usual creative habits. In the process of finding their true sound, Electric Guest has blessed the music industry by proving that it is possible to change your genre without inhibiting your genuineness and originality. Whatever the duo decides to bring to the table next I’m sure will go beyond expectations and past criticisms to make a new innovative style and sound that only Electric Guest can do.

You can experience Kin for yourself here.