In a city they’d played many times before but never this big on their own, Silver Lake’s  Local Natives wowed a fresh-faced, university crowd at the Commodore on April 27.

Purveyors of warm indie pop, the band gave it their everything, and the audience returned it doubly. Singalongs during “Airplanes” and the wide “Sunhands” filled the room, Talking Heads’ “Warning Sign” rolled happily out. Bros closed their eyes and beamed along, while one dude leaned over, pointed at my camera as I scrolled through photos, called them “choice” and instructed me to give the guys on stage “more credit! Because they’re awesome!” as if my pictures could do so. Young girls reached out for Taylor Rice, yelling lyrics and pushing their smiles toward him, as he stomped his feet and his songs into the stage while he played.  It was, at any given moment, as if the audience as a whole, wanted to give the band a hug. And you know, they deserved it.  \m/