Courtesy of Ed Miles
The four-piece British rock group Temples began their tour across the western US at The Chapel in San Francisco this week. The band is touring not only in support of the release of their sophomore album, Volcano (2017), but also as a member on the great Desert Daze Caravan with bands like Froth, Night Beats, Deap Vally, and JUUJUU.
After three hours of anticipation, Temples took the stage. The band appeared as if they had just jumped out of a hazy time traveling VW bus Sporting sweater vests, late George Harrison haircuts, and massive Stratford guitars; the band members looked as if they never left the golden era of psychedelic rock. They played under the backdrop of live oil and water art to really make you feel like you were on the inside of the magical mystery tour bus.
Temples played an even mix between their first album, Sun Structures (2014), and their soon-to-be released album Volcano. Managing to stretch their discography to please their fans, they played for a solid 90 minutes. However, there was a distinct difference in hearing more recent projects from the new album. New singles like “Certainty” and “Strange or Be Forgotten” followed the sound of Sun Structures, which is known for its remarkable use of the synth over a consistent drum beat and the guidance of the lead guitar. The style of their synths and dreamy sounds filled The Chapel’s hall. On “Mesmerise” and “Shelter Song”, however, the synth almost seemed to disappear, leaving an empty feeling in some of their most well-known pieces. Temples played into this emptiness and filled the space with many improvised instrumental sounds, ones less appreciated on their recorded tracks. On top of that, the long interludes between songs and an excellent solo on “Keep in the Dark” kept the audience vibing along.
Temples are continuing their stateside tour with the rest of the Caravan until mid-march. Catch them at the Burger Hangover Fest or anywhere else around the Southwest before it’s too late!
Written By Arnav Chaturvedi