Written By : Derek Khaothong
Post Date: 02/20/17
Cladded behind metallic-colored streamers that shined in a
variety of hues during the concert, Angel Olsen and her band performed at The
Wiltern, Los Angeles on Valentine’s Day. The concert began with UCLA Radio’s
own guest DJ alumni Chris Cohen opening, who entertained the crowd with his
mellow voice and dreamy guitar chords. He performed songs of his new album, As If Apart. Later in the show, Angel
Olsen dedicated a song to Chris Cohen for opening alongside her during her
tour.
The next opener, Jonathan Richman,
displayed a wacky and wholesome performance that I had never ever encountered in
a concert. He performed with a drummer and used only an acoustic guitar during
his set, but the main instrument that captivated the crowd at The Wiltern was
his own body. Jonathan Richman danced with a smile on his face, while thrusting
his hips and arms as creatively as he could. I found myself incredibly intrigued
by his set and laughed along to his care-free childish persona.
Angel Olsen opened with Never
Be Mine, one of my favorites off her 2016 record MY WOMAN. Her voice sounded even better live and the heavy distortion
of the guitars shined through in the background. Soon after, she sang the
punchy pop hit single Shut Up Kiss Me,
which many members of the audience sang along to. All the band members wore
matching, pastel grey suits, where as Angel Olsen rocked out in a red-striped white
button-down shirt with bright red shorts. Olsen’s set during the middle of the
show was where she began to play some songs of her 2014 album Burn Your Fire for No Witness, which
shifted the punchy atmosphere of the show into a dreamier vibe. With her iconic
choppy bangs glistening in shades of cyan and purple, Olsen sang with great
love to her own music, which definitely shown as she smiled throughout the set
to the crowd.
The encore of the show was a highlight for me, where Angel
Olsen showcased her belting, ethereal voice in my favorite song, Intern. She played the synthesizer by
herself, with a guitarist and keyboard backing alongside.
Overall, Olsen gave a beautiful performance that felt very
intimate alongside the mellow Chris Cohen and wacky Jonathan Richman on
Valentine’s Day. Angel Olsen’s immensely talented skills as a musician gave me an
emotional, electrifying show that stole my heart away.