With Confidence: Secret House Show in Los Angeles

With Confidence, Super Whatevr, Secret House Show, Sunland, CA, April 22, 2017

“Despite the weather, it gets better,” promises With Confidence on their breakthrough song Voldemart. And on a sunny afternoon within the City of Angels, it certainly couldn’t get any better than this!

With Confidence was in the Southern California area supporting State Champs, and certainly made the most of out their local touring experience. After two solid performances at The Yost Theater in Santa Ana and then The Teragram Ballroom in Downtown Los Angeles, it was time for a well deserved day off for this Australia-based collective. Or was it?

Record Store Day and Earth Day were both in full swing, and during the Mid-morning hour, an announcement would emerge on the With Confidence Facebook and Instagram pages. A post was issued regarding a Secret House Show somewhere in Los Angeles, and this event would be limited to 50 people. Highwire Daze Online submitted our request just like everyone else, and managed to secure two tickets to what would be a very special backyard concert held by Common Ground Records deep in heart of the Sunland/Tujunga area. Doors would be at 4:00PM with music to commence almost immediately.

After having your ID checked in the garage, you would then proceed to the gorgeous backyard area where a makeshift stage was set up on the concrete entrance to the back of the house. This was the classic house party in every sense of the word and With Confidence would soon play an extended set of tunes right in the faces of an adoring and very lucky crowd!

The sun was just beginning to set, breaking away from the 90 degree intensity of the day and there was a good amount of shade to be found in the backyard when opening band Super Whatevr took to the stage. Based out of Costa Mesa, Super Whatevr performed an exhilarating set of indie rock entreaties, weaving their own spiraling sense of magic and euphoria upon the early arrivals. The “happy tunes by sappy dudes” were absolutely brilliant, featuring lively performance from Skyler McKee on guitar and vocals, Thomas Waale on bass, and Luke Mensink on drums. Recently signed to Hopeless Records, be sure to check out their reissued Good Luck EP, now available and ITunes and Spotify. Expect an intriguing year ahead from this delightfully imaginative new band on the rise.

With Confidence took to the stage next and unleashed a supremely rapturous set of pop punk anthems that clearly captivated their diehard Southern California fans. Opening with their wonderfully spirited Voldemart from their Better Weather full length debut on Hopeless Records, With Confidence had the crowd singing and jumping up and down to each and every song. Requests were being taken throughout the afternoon, making for a wondrous unpredictable concert. Fan favorite Take Me Away from their Distance EP was unveiled here in the States for the very first time at the backyard party – and later With Confidence would admit that they had not played that particular song in almost two years!  Keeper, We’ll Be Okay, Godzilla and a whole lot more pop punking goodness was delivered within the free wheeling set.

With Confidence consists of Jayden Seeley on lead vocals and bass, Inigo Del Carmen on guitar and backing vocals, Luke Rockets on guitar and Josh Brozzesi on drums – and they all looked like they were having just as much fun playing as the 50 person strong audience was watching them. Brozzesi even did some surprise crowd surfing while guitarist Rockets casually took his place behind the drums for the wildly rambunctious minute.  Not a beat was missed and front man Jayden expressed he did not even know Josh was away at first.

Many thanks to Common Ground Records for opening up their home to the fans, making this one of those special backyard shows that many will remember for a lifetime. Be sure to check out Better Weather by With Confidence now available from Hopeless Records!

(Review and Photos by Ken Morton)

With Confidence on Facebook
Super Whayevr on Facebook
Common Ground Records on Facebook