I remember the first time I saw Strawberry Fuzz at the beginning of the year. A friend invited me to come out to see his friend’s band. I wasn’t expecting a mind-blowing show, but I love to support live music so I decided to go. I thought I’d be able to buy tickets at the door. I was wrong. Sold out a day before the show. Okay, so “they have a lot of local friends and family”, I thought. I managed to get a ticket through a friend who had an extra.
It’s now the night of the show, the Troubadour is just about to reach capacity as the opening bands finish their sets. I’m at the bar getting a drink in between bands. After a long wait, I finally got my drink right as Strawberry Fuzz takes the stage.
Immediately, I felt the energy in the room completely shift.
I knew in that moment I was about to witness something special. They open with “Dropout”, a song off their brand-new album Strongs Dr. It’s the perfect intro song. The heavy guitar riffs and beat of the kick drum absolutely demands your attention. A slight drop in the song and then BAM, the crowd goes wild. Drinks are flying, people are flying, what a rush! Definitely stand in the back if you want to stay dry and out of the pit. Strawberry Fuzz commands the stage like it’s their last night on earth and their fans match that energy like they’re ready to follow them into battle. Not only is their energy electric, but their musicianship is right on par. Lead singer, Colby Rodger’s voice echoes influences of 70’s rock n roll, 80’s punk, and modern indie rock. Their lyrics paint a picture of the quintessential California beach, party life while finding camaraderie amongst misfits. An excellent example is at one point in the night they had the entire crowd chanting “Go home kook!”, another track off Strongs Dr., which should be the anthem of the summer.
Basically, if I haven’t made it crystal clear at this point, I believe Strawberry Fuzz is set to take over the world.
I’ve seen them every chance I can since that night.
The band heads out on a West Coast tour next month and is throwing their biggest party to date at The Echoplex in LA on August 11th! Don’t make the same mistake I did and get your tickets now before it inevitably sells out!
Artist Links: Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | SoundCloud
Share this article
or
Disclaimer: All views presented in this album review are those of the reviewer and not necessarily those of Top Shelf Music.
Get music updates in your inbox