dublab, based out of Los Angeles and purposefully eschewing proper noun status, is a non-profit web radio collective "devoted to the growth of positive music, arts and culture." They've been connecting with a wide range of labels from Stones Throw, 100% Silk, Brainfeeder, Friends of Friends, and beyond since 1999. VisionVersion is their video series that focuses on artists (Daedelus and Javelin have been past guests) performing live in a location of their choice.
The most recent installment, premiering here, comes from ESP at infamous LA gentleman's club Cheetahs Hollywood.
[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/44066720[/vimeo]
There's an art to making a good live music video; it can be difficult to capture the essence of a performance in an immersive way while also creating something that feels creative and unique. dublab's ESP video pulls this off well; the ornate costumes and dappled, mysterious lighting, the quick shifts between shots, and the sensual beauty of the dancers' bodies moving alongside the music, and the subtle capturing of the audience's reaction, whether paying full attention to the performance or not, does a fantastic job of capturing what it feels like to take in a performance like this and synthesizes the entire club experience (and the performance that takes place for everyone, not just the artists on stage).
ESP has performed with Flea and Jenny Lee at various points when they held a residency at the Echo nightclub in LA, and the trio is all about synth-laden dreamscapes and hypercolored visuals. Siblings Aska and Seiya Matsumiya team up with Bobby Evans to create these sounds, and the group's debut EP is due this August. With this video in mind, we look forward to it.
Upcoming ESP Tour Dates
08/16 Los Angeles, CA The Satellite *#
08/27 Los Angeles, CA School Night at Bardot
08/30 Santa Barbara, CA Soho *%
08/31 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall *%
09/01 Big Sur, CA Fernwood *
09/04 San Diego, CA Casbah *%
* = w/ UFO
# = w/ The Entrance Band
% = w/ AA Bondy
