I really wish there were more lights to illuminate Sales a little better.
If I were ever to become famous, I think I’d be like Sales. They played to a riled crowd at the Echo in LA last Tuesday, and couldn’t disguise how grateful they were for all the support.
Filardo
The show began with a rousing set by Filardo that left me with many questions. Are you from Florida? Why is your name an anagram for Florida? Is there any way that you can factor this into your music somehow, if you haven’t already? Filardo creates some kind of pleasant art-grunge, which may or may not be a term that I am creating right now. The on stage banter made me feel like I was in an episode of Flight of the Conchords, simultaneously uncomfortable and hilarious. The only difference is that no one in the Filardo crew is a dickhead (I hope).
Winter and her flower crown
Winter followed with a soft and ethereal set. The group is fairly new to the city, coming from the frosty town of Boston, happy to be in the California sunshine I’m sure. The music was almost too beautiful for the environment at the Echo, which at times can be loud and distracting. That being said, many people in the crowd around me were very fond of Winter, such as one girl in particular behind me who knew every word to several songs. The crowd was as much into it as the band: by the end, the lead singer, Samira Winter, had taken a seat on the stage and was cradling her guitar to her chest, gently strumming until their set was eventually over. People demanded more songs and an encore, but they had to pack up and clear the stage for the headliners, Sales.
And boy did they clear the stage. Lauren Morgan (vocals, guitar) and Jordan Shih (guitar, production) set up a small table with a few gadgets, put some pedals on the floor and tuned their guitars- one for each of them. At this point it was clear immediately that everyone was going to lose it when Sales finally did begin to play; even just as they were setting up, people in the crowd were taking pictures and cheering happily. Sales certainly didn’t disappoint. The first few tracks they played were new songs that I can only assume will be on their debut full-length record, which everyone is waiting for with baited breath. Their first familiar tune they dedicated to all the lovers in the audience, but “Getting’ It On” was over before it even started when the mics cut out. When the audio came back, Morgan reassured everyone that everything was fine, she was simply mouthing the words, playing a trick on us all.
Lauren Morgan, of Sales.
Morgan and Shih took every chance they had to thank everyone for coming out and buying the record. With only a self-titled EP under their belts, their fame is growing at a rate that they are too humble to admit. With that new-fame, they forget about other things that more established bands have done for them, like writing a set list. They didn’t write one for this show, and so once they got to the end and thought they had no more songs left, someone shouted “Chinese New Year!” As an unexpected twist for both the band and the audience, that was the song we ended on. It’s time for a Chinese New Year, it’s time for me to find my way home.
Filardo’s debut album is called Falling Up, which you can grab on Bandcamp. For more information on Filardo, visit their Facebook.
Winter’s got a new album, Supreme Blue Dream, coming out March 10th on Lollipop Records. They’ll be playing a release show at the Echo on April 3rd, get your tickets here. Find more info via their Facebook, Instagram, and Bandcamp.
Sales have a self-titled EP, out now. Find out more about Sales on their website, Facebook, and Twitter. Also, shout out to Alana Questell who does all of Sales artwork- it’s absolutely brilliant.
The Music Court 
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