Waking into House of Vans gives you a sense of nostalgia and adventure – that feeling of excitement and elation. My first experience at House of Vans was seeing the synth-pop duo, Holy Ghost and enjoying the laid back vibes of the crowd and even sliding down the skate bowl just for kicks.
After running for 8 years, House of Vans is sadly closing its doors and producing its last two shows with amazing bands like Deerhunter and Interpol.
It’s truly bittersweet to see a beloved establishment have its final run. Creating and further developing the thriving art and music scene – their team allowed different subcultures to come together through creative channels and become a community that grew throughout the years. They continue to support the enrichment of art and music throughout schools with programs / sessions that allow communities to enjoy something fantastic. With a cold beer in hand and the summer rain just beginning – the warehouse slowly began to fill up with people who seemed to be just as excited as I was.
Opening the night, was Standing On The Corner, hailing from Crown Heights who fuses distortion with elements of jazz, indie rock, soul, funk, and hip-hop, and mixing in poetry. If you have an affinity for something strange yet interesting – this is one band you’d love to see. Playing unusual tracks that go from jazz funk to an insane guitar or drums or even saxophones solos.
Followed by the dark and mysterious, Circuit des Yeux with long hair covering her face – this band was something other worldly, something that needs to be experienced in real life. With powerful, beautiful vocals that are both emotional, electrifying, and exhilarating – with a violin play in the background accompanying her vocals, there were so many goosebumps inducing moments.
Hailing from Atlanta, Deerhunter took the stage and the minute they did – you could see the crowd’s face light up.
Moments like those are what House of Vans created and for that they will definitely be missed. Known for their blended of experimental range of genres from indie/garage rock to psychedelic pop – they began their set with one of their classics, “Cover Me Slowly” which was the perfect way to start with a dream like visual backdrop of lights sweeping across the stage.
I’ve always heard great things about them live and as a first time goer – I was blown away by them. They transitioned in “Agoraphobia”, as I walked around the packed venue – you could see the crowd singing along or have visible smiles on their faces. Seeing the band’s influence on the viewer’s face was priceless – you see people of different ages, neighborhoods, and ethnicity come to together in unison to celebrate a band that’s made a difference in their life.
Playing a wide variety of songs from other albums such as, “Elemental” and ending with an encore – with the ever so catchy, “Snakeskin”. Deerhunter is definitely a band that you’ll appreciate if you’ve never seen them live before from shoegaze vibes to danceable indie rock – they breathe life into their songs and give it a electrifying personality when they’re onstage.
The lead singer, Bradford Cox, mentioned that Deerhunter had finished their new album at 6:30 that morning and collaborated with Cate Le Bon and we should be expecting it sometime next year – we can’t wait!!
Slideshow of the Show Below:
