Last weekend, legendary livetronica quintet Lotus returned to the historic Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles, California. On February 17th, Lotus filled the Fonda with an eclectic selection of tracks spanning the stylistic evolutions of their career. Early arrivals headed to the venue on the corner of Hollywood Boulevard to catch producer and guitarist Marvel Years, who warmed up the crowd with his bumpin’ future funk.

Front and center with a black leather jacket and a white bass, Jesse Miller started the first set with a shifty “Grayrigg,” a track from 2009’s Oil on Glass/Feather on Wood. To his right stood guitarist/keyboardist Luke Miller, and to his left, Mike Rempel, rocking a blissed-out expression that signaled he was happy to be back in the Golden State.

The five-piece launched into psychedelic songs from 2013’s Build, “Middle Road” and “Kodiak”, bringing the band’s signature spacey synth. On risers a few feet back, Chuck Morris’ bongos and shakers blended faster-pace percussion with reverberating steel from the frontline.

A groovy, beautiful rendition of “ClapClapClap” swirled straight into “Spiritualize”, which brought back the nostalgic love of 2005’s Nomad. Soft, green lights set the mood for longer notes echoing through the 31,000 square foot theatre, which had been thoughtfully restored to reflect its original 1920’s flair. “Spiritualize” closed with a cleansing peacefulness, followed by energizing, polymorphous funk. An upbeat transition for Lotus, the band moved into “Bug Love” before ending the first set with “Age of Inexperience” from 2008’s Hammerstrike.

Set One

[Video: Pat Myers]

After a set break, Lotus brought fresh, forward-looking flavor with pop vocals from “Move Too Fast,” a track from their thirteenth studio album Eat the Light. Though Mike Greenfield’s drum kit donned the twisted cables and filaments that act as the cover art’s centerpiece, the band didn’t play too many songs from the newest album. They bounced around, delivering tracks representative of the changing years, spurring whispers of wonders trying to ascertain what album each song belonged to.

Not undefined by digital progressions, heavier bass and moments of jam-risen ascension, Lotus’ encore brought back the sensual, smooth rhythms of Nomad’s “Greet the Mind” before ending with the feel-good offering of Hammerstrike’s “Behind Midwest Storefronts.”

The winter tour, which kicked off on February 7th in Morgantown, West Virginia, continues through the West Coast with shows at The Depot in Salt Lake City, Utah; the Belly Up in Aspen, Colorado; and the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver, Colorado. Lotus will also hit Missouri, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia.

Setlist: Lotus | Fonda Theatre | Los Angeles, CA | 2/17/2018

Set I: Grayrigg, Middle Road, Kodiak, ClapClapClap > Spiritualize, Bug Love, Age of Inexperience

Set II: Bellwether > Sift, Pachyderm, Move Too Fast > Bellwether, Did Fatt > 128, Sunrain

Encore: Greet the Mind, Behind Midwest Storefronts