PHOTO & REVIEW: Hot Hot Heat at KCRW’s Summer Nights

KCRW’s Summer Nights Series kicked off in a sensational fashion on Saturday night at One Colorado in historic Old Town as the great Hot Hot Heat took to the stage. I was lucky enough to host the evening, spin a DJ set and introduce the band, however as I had never been to Old Town, I was somewhat unsure of what to expect. I certainly didn’t anticipate the estimates of 400 attendees to more than double… with people packing into all corners of One Colorado, hanging off balconies… even filling tables at il Fornaio, a restaurant with outdoor seating directly behind the stage (the band’s drummer was heard to remark “enjoy your tapenade…”).

Hot Hot Heat were billed as performing a “semi-acoustic” show but they ended up keeping it pretty much the same. The regular drum kit was simply replaced with electronic drum pads, which held no damper on the band’s usually rambunctious live show. The performance was electric and the enthusiastic crowd of Hot Hot Heat fans hung on every word of favorites such as “Goodnight, Goodnight”, “21@12” and, yes, “Bandages”, which got the front-and-center gaggle of teenage girls screaming to a fever pitch.

You can check Hot Hot Heat for two more performances as they hold down their June residency at the Bootleg Theater on Wednesday nights. And don’t miss the next KCRW Summer Nights show on Saturday June 26 hosted by Chris Douridas with a performance by Everest, once again at One Colorado. Enjoy the tapenade…

– Dan Wilcox