Los Coast at Antone's

Los Coast is a band on the cusp of a truly remarkable journey. They released their debut album “Samsara” was released a little over two weeks ago. They have the radio-friendly hits, the musicianship, and the on-stage charm; they innovate without sacrificing careful crafting. About to embark on a modest nationwide tour, Los Coast visited Antone’s Thursday night to continue testing the waters of their growing potential and showcase their eclectic style.

The group has five principal members: Trey Privott (lead vocals, guitar) and John Courtney (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Megan Hartman (bass), Damien Llanes (drums) and Natalie Wright (keyboard). Privott is the front man. It was his distinctive tenor, warbling with the influences of his Georgia roots, that shone through on the Antone’s stage. Privott channeled Otis Redding during “Masquerade,” a vivacious shoulder shaker aided by accompanying brass musicians who injected a big band style funkiness to the track, perfectly stair stepping Privott’s voice to crescendo as he belted out the chorus, “Keep steppin’, got to keep groovin’!” Other songs, like their single “Monsters,” showcased the entire band, from Courtney’s prolific guitar playing to Hartman’s bass-slapping ability to ride a groove and Wright’s visible enthusiasm for the keys. The crowd was entranced and visibly drunk off of the music, which was constantly shifting from one genre to the next, encompassing everything from funk-pop on the song “Shadow Work” to emotional progressive folk on “Chesapeake” and synthy R&B on “Graves”. Everyone was on for the ride

The crowd was buzzing. Every third person was inebriated, which made for a pleasant, albeit chummy atmosphere. Lively conversation was had between sets; dance battles were fought in the front of the crowd. If anything however, the infectious energy on the floor was a consequence of the music. Antone’s has a low stage, treating and audience members are treated to a very intimate concert going experience. With every member of the band hitting strides, smiling and loving their crowd, it was no wonder that spectators started feeling themselves. Take, for example, the woman who, after the show came to a close and Privott said his goodbyes and flashed a peace sign, with disheveled hair and smeared lipstick mounted the stage to screamed a desperate plea for an encore into the mic, even going so far as attempting to mount an off-kilter chant in 4/4 time (We-want-an-encore! {clap, clap, clap-clap-clap}), a passionate display which was met with scattered whoops from the audience and a few involuntary, empathetic cringes; but it did the trick. Los Coast appeared once again, but before they began, they had to politely asking the woman on the mic to dismount the stage, which she did, graciously, before they began.

The show ended, but the message of Los Coast’s music remained: Be unapologetically yourself. The consistency of Los Coast’s energy and the quirky fusion of styles that has become a signature of their sound speaks to the comfort they’ve found in their position in the Austin music scene, and it will serve them well as they continue to refine and improve on their way to the national stage.