Tourzilla! Vacations & Last Dinosaurs: 11/12/23

Vacations by Atikis Curiel

Self-proclaimed "Australia's best boy band," Vacations is undoubtedly one of my top five bands. After hearing their song "Relax" in late 2018, I could not get enough of this band. And having seen them for both LA shows last year, I certainly would not miss this one, either.

However, this time around, the tour was different. It was a double headliner with another band named Last Dinosaurs. I hadn't heard of Last Dinosaurs until the tour's announcement, but after checking out their music catalog, I was instantly a fan. The tour had an interesting name. They called it "Tourzilla," which was the most likely because it had two headlines and the opener. This would be the second show I have been to where they do this, the first being the Beach Fossil with Turnover.

Leading up to the LA show, Vacations had been releasing singles for their upcoming album that will be released next year. These singles include "Next Exit," "Terms and Conditions," and my favorite from the singles released "Midwest." And I was excited to hear these live.            

What is unique about Vacation shows is that they like to do a theme. Their last tour was a western one where they encouraged fans to dress like cowboys and cowgirls. This time around, the theme was dressing up as a movie character. I personally dressed up, and I counted a couple of other fans dressed up. I do wish more fans participated and showed more spirit.

This show would take me back to The Novo. I had been there twice before, for the Surf Curse show and Beach Fossils with Turnover. So, I had an idea of how good the show would sound. 

The opener for this show was a band called Bathe Alone. Usually, I am skeptical about openers I haven't heard of before because sometimes the opener just isn't good. But I am more than happy to report that Bathe Alone had a fantastic set, and I am glad that they blew my skepticism away. The band was energetic, and their chemistry just added to that. They were a great opener, and now they have become a band. I want to see them headline a show, and I cannot wait for that day. My only regret was not taking photos.

Last Dinosaurs by Atikis Curiel

After Bathe Alone finished their set, the stagehands started preparing the stage for the Last Dinosaurs. While waiting, the DVD idle screen appeared on the stage. This was one of the most unique things I have seen at a concert. The DVD symbol moves to the corner, and the crowd gets hyped when the DVD is near the corner. There were many moments of "OOOHH" and "aww."

When the DVD symbol hit a corner, the crowd erupted with joy. At the same time, the lights dimmed, and this was the sign that the Last Dinosaurs were about to take the stage. Then, all of a sudden, music starts to play. The song "What Is Love" begins to play, and the band members of Last Dinosaurs start to go on stage, all dressed sharply in grey suits. Given the recent meme trend of that song being played and its famous lyrics, "Baby, don't hurt me," I thought it was hilarious.

Sean Casky of Last Dinosaurs by Atikis Curiel

But shortly after the song ended and the band greeted the audience, they started their set. Man, it was absolutely amazing. The band was energetic, and the crowd work was something I hadn't seen from another band besides Vacations. It was something to behold. Their songs were upbeat and fun and got most of the crowd moving, especially in the middle section of the pit. Near the end of the set, the band said they would perform covers of various songs. I was surprised to find out about what songs they would cover. The first one was from the band The Prodigy, "Breathe." The next were songs like "Mover Your Feet," "Lady (Hear Me Tonight)," and "Music Sounds Better with You." These songs hyped the crowd up; it was a thrilling experience overall.

Nate Delizzotti and Jack Johnson of Vacations by Atikis Curiel

After their set, we waited about five minutes until Vacations came on stage. They were all wearing different color mechanic jumpsuits with their last name in the nametag. That was an interesting contrast to the suits worn by Last Dinosaurs. After they went to their respective spots, they greeted the crowd and started to play.

I cannot get tired of seeing Vacations perform. Seeing them live is something everyone should do. From the energy they bring on stage, the crowd work, and the setlist, it's a perfect first or 100th concert.

Cambell Burnes of Vacations by Atikis Curiel

When performing their famous song "Telephones," the lights went off, and the stage was illuminated by the flashlights of the audience's phones. It was wild how much light was produced from the phones.

For most of the set, the crowd was moving, jumping around, and just being as lively as they could be; it's such a unique thing to share moments such as this with strangers. I shared this experience for this show with a good friend, and funnily enough, it was his first live show.

As the band reached the end of their set, they played one of their newer songs and one of my favorites, "Midwest." This song is amazing, but live, my God, it was terrific. In the last part of the song, after the instrumental bridge, the Bathe Alone and the Last Dinosaurs members came on stage and started dancing around. It was like something from a Hallmark movie, and I loved it. It was a fitting way to end because of how his LA show would be their last of the tour.

Overall rating: S-Tier Show

Check out ALL bands from this show. Too many good tracks to name!