DJANGO DJANGO play Mayan Theatre Aug. 6 and The Observatory Aug. 7 photo: Fiona Garden
Django Django will play the Mayan Theater in Los Angeles on Aug. 6 and The Observatory in Santa Ana on Aug. 7. Riding in on the wave of “bedroom bands” (D.I.Y. bands that create and record most of their music from their own homes), the British four-piece created their own strain of electronic art rock with their 2012 self-titled debut.
“Django Django” combined the avant-garde futurism of 70’s and 80’s art-pop whiz kids, with surf licks, African rhythms, hints of psych and artful production, to win over fans and critics alike. Django Django have generated comparisons to everyone from the Beta Band to Hot Chip, but the genre-mixing, influence-smattering style is all their own, and manages to play with familiar sounds while still looking to the future.
This hodge-podge, exploratory style was expanded even further with the band’s most recent effort, “Born Under Saturn,” released in May of this year. In support of the album, the band has been touring through Europe and Canada, and will be making stops all over the US before heading back across the Atlantic. This marks the most major US tour to date for drummer/producer David Maclean (whose bedroom was home base for Django Django for three years), singer and guitarist Vincent Neff, bassist Jimmy Dixon and synth man Tommy Grace.
The members met as art school students in Edinburgh and began making music. After a migration to London, the band’s unique style quickly earned them a sizable following, and major festival dates at home in the UK, as well as Europe, Japan and Australia. Maclean has attributed the band’s success to their varied approach.
“Music’s so mad and widespread and varied, that eclecticism’s the only way to be for us,” he said. “That said, I think you can draw a line through all the music we’re into. It’s about creativity and experimentation and the quest to find a new sound.”
The quest seems to be working. Known for packed-to capacity festival crowds and sold-out shows, Django Django are like an undercover party band. With enough grooves and thumping rhythms spread throughout their catalogue to satisfy any head-bobbing concert-goer, and a passionate fan base that will provide plenty of energy, the two shows at the Mayan Theater and The Observatory should prove to be hot tickets.