Current Joys and Your AngelAt The Hollywood Vermont: 11/05/23
Nick Rattigan of Current Joys. Photo by Atikis Curiel
The incredible talent of Nick Rattigan of Current Joys seems to have no end. And the show he put on at The Vermont Hollywood demonstrated that.
After releasing his new album, “Love + Pop,” Rattigan announced some shows in the U.S. and some in Europe. And the minute this announcement was made, I made the appropriate preparations to secure my ticket.
I have seen Rattigan once before, back in February of 2022, at the Wiltern Theater. That show was fantastic and electric. Rattigan’s stage presence was immense and full of energy. His overall performance was something to be in awe of. I had never seen anything like it; there was so much passion in all the songs he sang and how he played his guitar. I was not in the pit area but on the balcony for that show, so a bit of the experience was lost, but this show would make up for it, and it did.
Nick Rattigan. Photo by Atikis Curiel
I was first introduced to Current Joys in 2019 when my little brother showed me the song “New Flesh,” after that, I was immediately hooked and proceeded to binge-stream all his music. My favorite tracks, to name a few, would be “Days of Youth,” “My Nights Are More Beautiful Than Your Days,” and “My Spotless Mind.” Rattigan has an expansive music catalog, so I am sure there is something for you there, especially with his new album, which is slightly different from what most fans are used to. It is safe to say that it is experimental, but it’s a great album and worth a listen, especially if you like Lil Peep.
This would be my first time visiting The Vermont Hollywood, so I didn’t know what to expect. While waiting for the doors to open, a passerby asked me and other concertgoers who we were seeing. He then gave us a short history lesson on the venue. Stating that it used to be a movie theatre with three screens before they renovated it into what it is today.
Once the doors opened, about 8 p.m., I went to the floor and tried to get a good spot to view the show and take some good photos. The venue itself was similar to that of The Wiltern. It was just different in interior design. The overall acoustics of the venue were superb; just from the music being played over the speakers, the sound of the show would be excellent.
Most of the music played while waiting for the show to start was Lil Peep. Rattigan is a massive fan of Peep, and if you listen to “Love + Pop,” you can see the influence of Peep on some of the tracks.
The opener for this show was a woman who goes by the moniker YOUR ANGEL. I hadn’t heard of her before the album “Love + Pop,” which she is featured in, and the tracks she is in are pretty good. So, I was looking forward to her set.
YOUR ANGEL. Photo by Atikis Curiel
Then, around 9 p.m., YOUR ANGEL came on stage with a sassy walk onto it. Her presence was immediately captivating. Her stride exuded confidence and an “I’m HER” energy. The first song was “Star,” it was a great track to start with and one that already had the crowd getting a bit rowdy. As her set went on, each song was performed beautifully, and her performance of them was just nothing short of amazing.
Around 9:30 p.m., YOUR ANGEL finished her set, and the stagehands started prepping the stage for Rattigan.
YOUR ANGEL. Photo by Atikis Curiel
We didn’t wait too long for the main act to start. At 10 p.m., Rattigan came on stage, followed by his bassist (Henry Dillion) and drummer. The crowd was angsty with anticipation, and waiting for Rattigan to begin, it was felt throughout the entire venue. Then, with one look and nod to his bassist and then to his drummer, the show started with a track from his new album, “My Shadow Life.” The crowd went batshit with the first song. A mosh circle had already formed, and other concertgoers were getting rowdy.
Rattigan played some old songs that I was honestly pleasantly surprised to hear, those songs being “Rambling of a Dying Adolescence” and “Weird Science (Don’t Leave My Arms).” I lost my shit when I heard “Weird Science,” it is easily one of my favorite Current Joys songs, and to finally listen to it live was an extraordinary experience. Another song that Rattigan performed that has become one of my favorites is a track called “CIGARETTES,” this is another song off his latest album and a heavily Peep-inspired track, but a great one nonetheless.
The experience of being in a pit setting for this show was different from what I had experienced at the 2022 show. The closest thing I can say was similar was the Surf Curse shows I have been to, but Rattigan is also in that band, so it makes sense why there would be similar energies. At one point on the show, I tried to get a photo, but I could not because of how rowdy the crowd was. That was until a fellow concertgoer held me and said, “I got you, bro!” and kept steady enough to capture the picture below.
Rattigan being a beast. Photo by Atikis Curiel
When the encore came on, Rattigan played some fan favorites, and they were performed remarkably. The way he performs, he puts every ounce of passion and spirit into every word sung, every riff, and strum. It is so profound. There isn’t enough I can say about this show and how mind-blowing it was.
Rattigan is genuinely a great musician, artist, and performer. This is an act you MUST see live, and it doesn’t have to be in the pit/floor; you can be on the balcony or in seats. But seeing a Current Joys show is something I recommend everyone do. There is nothing like it; it is such a unique and thrilling experience.
Overall Rating: S-tier show
Recommended Tracks:
My Nights Are More Beautiful Than Your Days
Neon Hell
No Words
Untitled
Fear
My Spotless Mind