LOS ANGELES, CA- I remember when I met Drew. I was hitting up some gigs at Echo Park Rising and after watching Spare Parts For Broken Hearts, I stepped outside for a smoke. This grizzled dude sparks up a conversation with me, and … like every aspiring musician I’ve met … starts to pitch his band to me. I’ve got an open mind, and I’m always down to check out new music, so I follow his band’s social media accounts and tell him that I’d eventually check out what they’ve got.
After walking around Echo Park catching more bands for the next 4 or 5 hours or so, I decided to call it a day. As I’m walking to my car in the public parking lot, I hear some music pulsing from a small cafe patio. It was rousing and energetic, and it immediately caught my attention. I had already packed my gear, but I hurriedly unpacked a camera and started a brisk walk to where this sound was coming from.
By the time I got there, I realized that there would be no way for me to take any decent shots. The patio was packed, should to shoulder. And as I was trying to peer over the various heads in the crowd to see who was playing, I saw it was Drew’s band: Ever So Android.
Ever since that moment, I kept my eyes open for an Ever So Android gig to attend. I finally got to see them perform, right before the year ended, at The Hi Hat, and I gotta admit … it was a hell of a way to wrap up my 2017.
I’m a pretty big fan of industrial rock. I practically wore out my cassette tape of NIN’s “Pretty Hate Machine” back in high school because that was an album that I used to listen to to get me psyched up for big games. This band’s got a familiar aesthetic. Using frenetic drum machines and heavy distorted guitars- that Drew really digs into- Ever So Android’s music can really stir up some pretty awesome, angsty dance vibes.
But what really makes this duo shine is their lead singer, Hope Simpson. This one’s stage presence is commanding. She’s got a powerful voice, but it’s her ability to exude both a sinister and sensual flavor with her performance that’s irresistible and hard to keep your eyes off.
The stage rapport she has with Drew is perfect. Despite the heaviness in their sound, they keep the vibe casual and playful. I think I even caught Hope on video (see below) giving Drew a little punch in the nuts … lol.
But like their music, Drew stood stoic and they continued to rock a set that I wished could have been longer. Definitely keeping my eye on their local gig dates to catch them again. Too. Damn. Good.
Follow Ever So Android on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
LIVE CLIPS
Ever So Android at The Hi Hat 12/30/17. Thoughts and photos coming soon to @BlurredCulture. pic.twitter.com/bZ4AfsPcKq
— Derrick K. Lee (@methodman13) January 7, 2018
Ever So Android at The Hi Hat 12/30/17. Thoughts and photos coming soon to @BlurredCulture. pic.twitter.com/L2F20rMmXz
— Derrick K. Lee (@methodman13) January 7, 2018
