Diandra Reviews It All

I reviewed Temples a while back at Bowery Ballroom; just before the release of their album Volcano. What a difference a few months, a few shows, and fresh material can do for a band! While their last show was fun, their gig at Music Hall of Williamsburg (MHOW) was dynamism. Clearly Temples has grown as performers, and Volcano has some of the best music material for such growth.
Temples – Certainty

I, recently, reviewed Lawrence, and ran into the same conclusion; like wine, an artist can age into perfection. After awhile, what is great about you becomes custom and grows in depth. At Bowery Ballroom, Temples was slightly more reserved compared to their MHOW show. It was as if, before, they came to do a good job, while last night, they came to have a good experience. It is easy with Volcano to feel a little trippy. The album is a sonic voyage of old and is a 100% call-back to classic rock concept albums such as, The Who’s Tommy or Pink Floyd’s The Wall, where listeners were transported to not only stories but character perspectives. In Volcano, you cannot avoid feeling like a protagonist through songs, “All Join In”, “Certainty”, and “Mystery of Pop”. While, on record, the tracks felt as colorful and imaginative as candied castles, in concert, they were blazing rock anthems that constructed temples within your mind for you to run, pray, and discover. There were inevitable moments like in “I Wanna Be Your Mirror”,“Roman Godlike Men”, and “Strange Or Be Forgotten” where Temples lived up to their name, and created chorded structures that turned their guitars into ancient, mystical spaces. These guys respect the power of a good guitar grind, and the night was filled with music moments that could elevate the weakest soul into strength. Something about psych rock spurs empowering visions, especially when there is a story-teller vibe and a good frontman like James Bagshaw.
Temples – Strange Or Be Forgotten

“Litte talk, much rock” is the solid motto of Bagshaw, and it works. When Bagshaw came out to the crowd, he lifted his hands in a kingly stance that said, “I have arrived”. Then, he went on to play Volcano and other Temples’ classics like “Shelter Song” and “Sun Structures” to the glee of the crowd. More than ever before, he moved and played his music towards the audience. He would sway his guitar at them and come to the edge of the stage to receive the cheers of the crowd like one would a birthday cake. He personified a classic 70’s rock n’ roll frontman from style to vocals. For me, he did not need to talk; just use his higher, vocal register sing us into the volcanic world that Temples have created for our pleasure. Ultimately, Temples continue embodying why we love classic music even in our modern times; what is golden never gets old. For More Information On Temples Click Here.