A Night at The Fox Theather With Twin Tribes: 1/26/23

Twin Tribes is easily one of my favorite bands out now. Their music consists of gothic, dark wave, cold wave, and post-punk music reminiscent of the late 70s and the '80s. Ever since I heard their song "Fanatasmas," I have been hooked. The band is made up of two men. Luis Navarro (lead singer and guitarist) and Joel Niño Jr (Synth/keyboard and bass guitar). This show wouldn't be my first time seeing them live. I previously saw them at the Cruel World music festival in May last year. And they were nothing short of amazing. The duo put on one of the best performances I saw that day. Everyone was captivated by their set. With every song, the intensity and electricity grew.  I knew I had to see them at an actual venue, and nearly a year later, I would be lucky enough to attend their show.  

Luis Navarro of Twin Tribes. Photo by Atikis Curiel.

This show took me to The Fox Theater in Pomona; this would be my first time attending this venue. Last October, I visited The Glass House in Pomona to see STRFK (article here). And just across the way was the Fox Theater; I didn't think I would be going back so soon, but there I was. The venue was similar to the Wiltern Theater in LA, with the inside décor being all art deco from the ceiling to the stairs and rails. It's a nice touch of classiness, unlike all the modernized venues we're used to.

I managed to get to the show early enough to get a front-row spot. I will make note that many people dress accordingly. People wore black feather coats, leather pants, some in black and white makeup, mesh clothes, big Doc Martin boots, and all the usual work. It was honestly cool to see all the different outfits. It was my first experience in this part of Gothic culture, and it went well. What I should have been aware of, however, was that there would be three opening acts. I haven't been to a concert with that many. Having three openers before the main show was an interesting idea, and it was also cool on behalf of Twin Tribes, giving exposure to three bands instead of just one.

Vandal Moon. Photo by Atikis Curiel

The first opening act, Vandal Moon, came on stage when it turned 8. They were a duo consisting of a synth player and the leader singer/guitarist. They had a fantastic set. The band sounded similar to Sisters of Mercy and the more edgy version of Gary Numan. The singer would dance on stage, and how he moved reminded me of how Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode dances on stage. It was a very energetic performance and a gripping one.

Urban Heat. Photo by Atikis Curiel

After Vandal Moon's set, the second opener of the night, Urban Heat, came on stage. And just like Vandal Moon, it was another electric performance. The main singer had a unique voice, and the music's overall sound reminded me of Nine Inch Nail's first and second albums. About midway into the show, the band covered "Goodbye Horses." It was a pleasant surprise, and they did a fantastic job covering that song; they had their unique sound but didn't stray too far from the original.

Once Urban Heat finished their set. The last opener came on stage. This time, it was led by a woman with a drummer and guitarist. The name of the band was Nuovo Tesamento. I know by now it sounds repetitive, but this set was the definition of ENERGETIC. The lead singer was dancing the entire set. She was bouncing all over the stage and must have fantastic endurance because she was singing perfectly without noticeable gasps for air or anything. Her dancing reminded me of the scene from "The Breakfast Club" when all the characters start dancing. The music itself had that 80s sound; there was no mistaking that. It was not as gothic as the previous two; it reminded me a lot of another 80s band, Berlin.

Twin Tribes. Photo by Atikis Curiel

The last opener ended around 9:45. Only fifteen minutes later, the smoke engulfed the entire stage, and the two members of Twin Tribes emerged from the fog and went to their rightful instruments. Both wore all black, with their faces pale with white makeup. After a long look at the crowd, they looked at their instruments and started to play. Their set consisted of songs from their newest album, "Pendulum." It has many tracks I was excited to hear, such as "Monolith" and "Cauldron of Thorns."

The band was just as good as they were at Cruel World, or not even better since they weren't on a 45-minute runtime. The bassist, Joel, would slowly walk side to side on some songs and stare into the crowd, mouthing the words of the song Navarro was singing, all while playing his guitar. Both men gave a mist of mystery, having no visible emotion on their faces.

  Although this concert was not as rowdy as the other ones I've been to, it still was great. I can't recall when my eyes wandered from the stage; everyone seemed to be on the same page. The band was enticing; their look, sound, and everything surrounding them demanded your attention, and you wouldn't mind giving it.

As the night ended in their encore, they played an old rock en espanol song, "Tren Al Sur." Twin Tribes aren't strangers to covering songs like this; they did the same thing at Cruel World. All in all, the show was great, and if you're into this kind of music, you have to check out Twin Tribes and, if possible, go to one of their shows.

Joel Niño Jr of Twin Tribes. Photo by Atikis Curiel

Overall Rating: A-tier. You get your money’s worth and then some!