The Wiltern | Los Angeles, CA | July 2, 2019 | Photos: ZB Images |
On the heels of their current single, “Panic Attack,” the six-man Canadian outfit rolled into the Wiltern in support of the Struts bearing the musical gift that keeps on giving: soul. It’s a quality that the Glorious Sons have in abundance and it runs through their engaging combination of modern and Americana-flavored rock that makes for a raucous and foot-stomping rock show.
Coming out the gate with “Panic Attack” and its far from unreasonable shopping list of wants and needs, the Glorious Sons put the Wiltern crowd on forceful notice that while they may be the opening band, the stage was theirs until further notice.
And it was good. If you’ve sampled even half of their musical output (from their albums Young Beauties and Fools and The Union) , then you are familiar with a band more lyrically reflective, earthy and unabashedly autobiographical than one might expect and the live presentation is a straight up hair-slinging, guitar riffing, sweaty experience of uplift. Yes, maximum crowd engagement was in affect when they punched out the stellar “S.O.S. ( Sawed Off Shotgun)” but beauties like “Josie,” “Hide My Love,” “White Noise” and the southern hip shaker “Mama” were the gems that showed the Glorious Sons’ ample musical range.
All the while front man Brett Emmons’ deep lungs, sense of performance abandon, penchant for prowling the stage barefoot stage (something I liken to more of an act of grounding and connection than mere comfort) along with his band-mates put youth and young manhood on loaded display…because the stage was theirs until further notice.
