THE BUTTERTONES RETURN TO ORANGE COUNTY
Review and photos by Sophia Fascenelli June 9, 2023
Buttertones frontman Richard Araiza (Photo: Sophia Fascenelli)
Los Angeles surf-garage rock band, The Buttertones, returned to The Observatory for a final sold-out night on June 2, 2023.
The Buttertones returned to Orange County to play two back-to-back nights with support from The High Curbs, Oswald, and The Hayds on night one and Stolen Nova and The Hayds on night two. The Buttertones formed their band in 2012. Their sweet tunes compromise a mix of doo-wop inflections, garage, jazzy melodies, and a mix of surf components.
The night started off strong with four-piece indie-rock band from Riverside, CA, The Hayds. The band's bassline and guitar riffs were amazing, but nothing beats the incredible crowd work the band achieved. The moment the band stepped on stage, to the second they ended their set, they cannoned their merch into the crowd. Many lucky attendees managed to snatch t-shirts and tote bags that were thrown out. The Hayds set the tone with their vibrant music animating the crowd.
Stolen Nova stole the night away as the second opener. With fashion inspiration from Prince and guitar riffs like Hendrix, frontman Josh Landau stepped on stage in black leather pants and a sheer black blouse. Stolen Nova dressed to impress. With formidable outfits and matching clear instruments, it was almost impossible to look away during their performance. Performing looks like it comes naturally to Landau. During his whole performance, he absorbed the energy from the crowd and doubled it. By the end of his set, he was crowd-surfing in the audience while playing his guitar. Stolen Nova puts on one hell of a performance. I would love to see Stolen Nova headline The Observatory one day.
The Hayds (left) and Stolen Nova crowd surfing (right) Photo: Sophia Fascenelli
With a sold-out show, The Buttertones were eagerly welcomed by concertgoers as they arrived on stage. All members of the band had their own unique style that paired well with one another. The ambiance of dimmed red and blue lights turned The Buttertones and the crowd into mysterious dancing silhouettes for the night. The band's enticing baritone vocals paired with heavy saxophone and bass tones are what make The Buttertones such a unique band. The tangible energy from the band and their fans in the crowd made the night.
The show ended with their insanely catchy song Bebop, off their 2020 album Jazz Hound. The party didn't stop there; the night followed with an afterparty at the iconic Tiki Bar in Costa Mesa with a DJ set by Mimi Pretend and a performance by Karly Low. From fan interaction to crowd surfing, to several frenetic mosh pits, The Buttertones know how to make an astounding comeback to the amazing Observatory.
The Buttertones (Photo: Sophia Fascenelli)
For more pictures of all the bands from the show, click here! To keep up to date with The Buttertones, Stolen Nova, or The Hayds, click their name to follow them on Instagram and stream their music.