Puma Blue and Harvey Dweller: 11/3/23
Jacob Allen aka Puma Blue by Atikis Curiel
Jacob Allen, also known as Puma Blue, is one of today's most talented solo acts. His mixture of contemporary jazz, trip-hop, RNB, indie rock, and soft rock combine to create somber tracks filled with mystique and his gentle yet haunting vocals. All those elements produce a distinctive melancholic sound you cannot find anywhere else.
I first came across Allen's music way back in 2018, funnily enough, after a breakup. It was his EP "Swum Baby" and the song in that EP, "She's Just a Phase," where I fell in love with his music and have been a fan since. Tracks like the one just mentioned and others like "Want Me," "Bruise Cruise," and "Only Trying 2 Tell U" encapsulate his unique sound and his mixture of jazz, RNB, and rock.
I believe it was 2021 when he came to tour for his album "In Praise Of Shadows" (fantastic album), and I could not attend because of my obligations with school work. But this time around, when he released his latest album, "Holy Waters," he announced another tour, and I could attend it this time. His LA show sold out almost immediately, so getting tickets was tough, but I secured one.
Harvey Dweller. Photo by Atikis Curiel
This show took me back to the Echoplex, which I have been to quite a lot this year alone. It was a fitting venue for Allen, from the excellent acoustics that would complement his voice and the music to the dark lighting. I arrived about thirty minutes before the doors opened, and the line was stretched down the sidewalk; the people, like myself, were ready for this show.
The opening act was a man by the name of Harvey Dweller. I had never heard of him before, but if Allen was to have him open, he must be good, and Dweller delivered. He went on at 8 p.m. and started with a projection of what looked like a cat thing, and the lines would move with every sound he made. I thought he would sing, but this opener was a DJ set. A first for me. Dweller was a fantastic set. His sound is like The Prodigy but much grittier and darker, but his songs still have that hardcore breakbeat punch. He was a great fit as an opener for Allen, and I enjoyed his entire set. At one point, he brought out a saxophone and played it along with his beats. That was an excellent touch for the ending of his set.
Puma Blue and his band. Photo by Atikis Curiel
At around 8:45 p.m., Dweller finished, and the stagehands started setting the stage for Allen. The setup was unique. In comparison, other bands would have their drum sets and guitars in the usual places and have no visual appeal besides the lights. Allen placed lamps and rugs along the stage, almost making it feel like a room in a home. The lamps gave off a soft orange hue, like lights you would dim around midnight while sitting alone in a room. I am unsure of the actual meaning, but it was a welcoming change to the stage appearance.
Then, at 9:00 p.m., Allen and his bandmates took to the stage. The crowd erupted. Allen's presence on stage wooed a group of women behind me, and some even gawked at it. Just as soon as they got on stage, they started playing. The first song was "Falling Down" from his newest album.
Puma Blue and Harvy Dweller. Photo by Atikis Curiel
As the show went on, there were technical difficulties regarding the sound in the speaker and the earpieces. There was some radio show coming through the earpieces and the speakers; first, it was prominent and then became faint. It was recurring throughout the show but didn't affect the performance in any way. Allen joked about the whole situation, saying, "I am becoming more knowledgeable as the show continues. My right ear is being fed politics, and my left is social economics."
Throughout the show, you could see the passion Allen and his band shared when performing, from how they played their instruments to how they would drag out some songs and turn them into a jam session. Every mannerism in Allen's face or the bass players and Dweller who were on the keyboard and soundboard. Their chemistry was perfect, and they delivered one of the best shows I have ever seen. I was completely engulfed in the music. The allure it had on the audience was something you had to be there for. Words can do no justice to this experience. Hearing "Want Me," "Bruise Cruise," and "She's Just a Phase" live was unbelievably incredible.
Puma Blue. Photo by Atikis Curiel
Instead of a number ranking (out of 10), I opt for a tier ranking. This show was an S-tier show. Possibly the best I have been to.
Recommended tracks:
Want Me
Oil Slick
Pretty
Falling Down
Bruise Cruise
Only Trying 2 Tell U