The Joy Formidable - The Observatory - March 18, 2013

Marko, the host of Modern Girls Radio, recently saw The Joy Formidable @ the Observatory on March 18, 2013. Marko's show review and photos can be found below. Check out more from Marko at moderngirlsradio.tumblr.com.

The Joy Formidable - The Observatory - March 18, 2013

With the release of their new album, "Wolf's Law", Welsh rockers, The Joy Formidable began their North American tour by starting fresh and hot at The Observatory in Santa Ana this past Monday, March 18, to a crowd full of raw energy and excitement. The Joy Formidable are no strangers to the Southern California crowd as they have played previously here in the OC and LA for their first album and EP tours, doubling their crowd size and fanbase each time they have toured The States.

This comes to no surprise as their show offers a different taste of what dream pop can be capable of accomplishing. With heavy riffs, punchy bass, melodic and sweet vocals provided by Rhiannon "Ritzy" Bryan, and plenty of proper stage presence, The Joy Formidable isn't your average indie rock band. Their concert began with a rushing song off their new album, "Cholla" proved to be quite the opener and got the crowd jumping and dancing without delay. Then, without breaking, the band continues the high energy with "Austere" and "This Ladder Is Ours" in which I was able to catch a few good snapshots of the band's energy before being escorted out of the press area. After a brief break of slower-paced tracks, the trio impacted the crowd with a crowd-favorite in "Cradle" off their debut EP. This song proved to be the best and most fun to dance, bump, and jump on as it featured Ritzy's adorable yet fierce way of interacting with the crowd.

As the show turned a bit acoustic, a few guys in the crowd complimented Ritzy's figure and hair; in which she took no offense and playfully interacted with the complimenting crowd. Then, after a brief encore, Ritzy and Rhydian (bass, vocals) took it to the next level and performed a few stage stunts by letting the crowd in the rail touch their instruments. By the end of these stunds, Rhydian's bass was on the hands of a fan, who attempted to continue playing the bass while Ritzy gave hugs and kisses to a few lucky concert attendants.


At the end of the night, I wasn't sure if I was in a rock concert or a dream pop concert. Although the vocals and beats provided by drummer Matt Thomas are geared towards the dream pop genre, their performance, energy, and communication among themselves was a refreshing take on alternative rock. It was definitely worth the somewhat inefficient and laggy concert security.

The Joy Formidable are to continue an extensive North American tour until July before they head back to the United Kingdom to play a few gigs. This band is definitely one to look out for, as chances are they'll return next year with a stronger and more energetic show that'll promise to exceed crowds' expectations everywhere.