Sleigh Bells indomitable kinetic dynamism rocked The Fonda
Like clockwork, noise pop pioneers Sleigh Bells resurface every couple of years with a fresh album and a string of tour dates that reliably reinforce the band’s enduring appeal and impressively progressive approach to their own unique brand of high energy, blisteringly metallic onslaught. The band’s latest album, Bunky Becky Birthday Boy, embodies the infectiously sugary blitzkrieg of sound and attitude that is definitively Sleigh Bells’ M-O, and on the second evening of tour Alexis and Derek brought down the house at The Fonda in Los Angeles for an enraptured crowd that basked in the full spectrum of indomitable kinetic dynamism that permeates every aspect of Sleigh Bells very existence.
Genre bending indie rapper Sophie Hunter opened the show with an undeniably magnetic set that showcased her uncanny ability to blend street-tough gangsta posturing with soulfully melodic elements into a swirling kaleidoscope of expansive female power fantasias that unfolded with tumbling recklessness and muscular confidence.
Brazilian folk guitarist Nathan Dies supported Hunter’s immaculate flow with a colossal wall of unstoppable nü metal riffs that rolled and surged over a bass-heavy backing track that shook the very molecules of the Fonda’s electrified atmosphere. Hunter’s star is rising quickly, and her performance provided irrefutable proof that she is more than capable of ascending to the upper echelons of modern pop and fully prepared to defend her claim atop the apex.
Over the course of six full-length albums, Sleigh Bells have proven themselves to be absolutely peerless in their full-frontal approach to delivering irresistibly ear-shattering noise pop explosions with varsity-grade vivaciousness and 100-proof charm. From the paradigm shifting one-two punch of their debut LPs deep into a discography that grew and evolved to fold in influences ranging from Def Leppard worshipping hair-metal guitar heroics to heart wrenchingly earnest R&B balladry, Sleigh Bells have attracted a brilliantly diverse and resiliently loyal following from all corners of the cultural population.
Bunky Becky Birthday Boy finds the band circling back closer to their roots with an angular approach to the dangerously enthusiastic bubblegum bounce of their earliest hits, flavored now with the spice of individual lives lived fully on and off the stage. Krauss and Miller still represent a compelling duality that dovetails hardcore aggression with radiant positivity, a symbiotic relationship that was on full display as both gave their absolute all in whipping the crowd into an enthusiastically pogo-ing frenzy of glistening smiles and furiously beating hearts. The setlist spanned the band’s entire catalog, uniting fans old and new beneath a rainbow-barred banner of mutual adoration and communal revelry. Sleigh Bells has evolved to embrace the beauty in the unfolding changes of life’s seasons, and through each passing chapter their undimmable message of positivity and unflappable lust for life has remained intact, brightly burnished in the sounds and sentiments of boundary bursting exuberance.
Sleigh Bells are currently on tour with special guest Sophie Hunter in support of Bunky Becky Birthday Boy. Stream the album on Spotify and follow Sleigh Bells on Instagram.
Upcoming Shows
May 9, 2025 - The Observatory - Constellation Room - Santa Ana, CA - Tickets
May 10, 2025 - Belly Up Tavern - Solana Beach, CA - Tickets
May 13, 2025 - August Hall - Music Hall - San Francisco, CA - Tickets
May 16, 2025 - Hawthorne Theatre - Portland, OR - Tickets
May 17, 2025 - Hollywood Theatre - Vancouver, BC - Tickets
May 19, 2025 - Neptune Theatre - Seattle, WA - Tickets
May 21, 2025 - Summit - Denver, CO - Tickets
May 23, 2025 - White Oak Music Hall - Downstairs - Houston, TX - Tickets
May 24, 2025 - Granada Theater - Dallas, TX - Tickets
May 25, 2025 - Mohawk - Austin, TX - Tickets
May 28, 2025 - The Ritz Ybor - Tampa, FL - Tickets
May 29, 2025 - The Plaza Live - Orlando, FL - Tickets
May 30, 2025 - Culture Room - Fort Lauderdale, FL - Tickets
Jun 1, 2025 - Terminal West - Atlanta, GA - Tickets
Jun 2, 2025 - The Orange Peel - Asheville, NC - Tickets
Jun 3, 2025 - Union Transfer - Philadelphia, PA - Tickets
Jun 5, 2025 - 9:30 Club - Washington, D.C. - Tickets
Jun 6, 2025 - Paradise Rock Club - Boston, MA - Tickets
Jun 7, 2025 - Webster Hall - New York, NY - Tickets
Jun 10, 2025 - The Axis Club - Toronto, ON - Tickets
Jun 11, 2025 - El Club - Detroit, MI - Tickets
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Jun 14, 2025 - Fine Line - Minneapolis, MN - Tickets
Jun 15, 2025 - Majestic Theatre - Madison, WI - Tickets