#FBF: Remember when The Paranoyds opened for Sunflower Bean?

by FRANK MOJICA

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Since the apocalypse has decimated any hopes of experiencing the catharsis that only live music can bring, what better time to dig through the archives and reminisce about our favorite shows, and relive them with previously unpublished photos?

Four years ago this week (Tuesday the 24th, to be exact), I got in line at The Echo in preparation of shooting the buzzed-about New Yorker’s Sunflower Bean. According to an old notebook dump and Facebook memory, both Alice Glass and Best Coast’s Bobb Bruno walked by while I was in queue scrolling through the disappointed reactions to Batman v Superman, which opened that night.

I was unfamiliar with the name (The Paranoyds), and frustratingly couldn't find any official social media accounts, as there were none at the time (save for Vine). Nevertheless, people in the audience were buzzing about their recent string of gigs. At last, they took the stage just as the first dose of edibles kicked in, and everyone packed in for their first dose of ‘Noyd rage. 

As a music critic who’s quoted all over Wikipedia, I could tell this was a band going places, and rightfully so. And, spoiler alert, I was right. I’ve probably seen them 20 times since that night, and many of my friends that would catch them with me in the early days have gone on to form their own bands. Four years later, it's a head trip to think about a show can impact not just the LA music scene and the lives of fans but also my work as a photographer. But really, once shows start happening again, come early and don't miss the openers.

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Words & Photos by Frank Mojica

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