Gustaf, Inner Wave and Foals Put on an Excellent Show at White Oak Music Hall

The show was a blast, the night was full of three different sets. First, the night was kicked off by Gustaf, a band from New York. Then followed by futuristic alternative band, Inner Wave, from California. The night ended with the well-deserved headliner, Foals, from the United Kingdom. Foals were hosting their LIFE IS YOURS tour. The show ended in a bang, they absolutely killed their set.

By the end of the night, the venue was packed from front to back! All bands produced different types of sounds, from electronic alternative to upbeat rock to punk.

Gustaf opened the night with their enticing and unique sound. The lead singer, Lydia Gammill, had very expressive facial expressions throughout the set. There’s a podcast hosted by Dywer that interviews the front singer of Gustaf. The topics she sang about and the way she moved reminded me of that typical crazy older lady you interact with on the street. They played many songs that caught my attention such as, “Mine“, “Dog” and “Cruel.”

During their performance, the lead singer kept hitting her head with her own hand. This was very strange but enticing. The crowd looked very confused, but I was really digging their sound. It’s definitely out there and different. I haven’t seen a performance quite like theirs. Tarra Thiessen, the vocalist/percussion member, made dog noises, played the triangle, blew a whistle and distorted her voice to sound like a low toned man. This was a very interesting addition to their songs.

Next up, was Inner Wave. Their performance was more laid back and chill. They played popular songs such as, “Diamond“, “Fever” and “Take 3.” If you want a better look at their recording process, they made a video showing the making of “Take 3.” Lead vocalist, Pablo Sotelo, had smooth vocals, and bassist, Jean Pierre Narvaez, could definitely work the bass and the iconic synth players, Chris Runners and Elijah Trujillo, helped carry the melody while the drummer, Luis Portillo, carried the rhythm.

Overall, Inner Wave had a great set. I wish they played more songs off their older albums, but they played more songs off their newest album, Apoptosis. Many people in the crowd were vibing to their songs and dancing.

Last but not least, was Foals. They knocked their performance out of the park! The artists on stage obviously crafted their set to perfection. The viewer could tell that many hours were spent working on their performance. The timing and collection of every instrument meshed together wonderfully.

Throughout the night, the audience members were keeping a close eye on the Astros game, and during the last set, the Houston baseball team struck up a win. The audience started to chant, “Let’s go Astros!” This definitely gave the UK artists, a true welcome to Houston!

Foals sounded like a whole as every part intertwined with one another flawlessly. When the whole band paused, the bassist knew to fill the space with a rift. You could tell they’ve been doing this for a while. They played many songs such as, “2am” “Life Is Yours” and “My Number.”

My favorite part of the show was when the lead vocalist/guitarist, Yannis Philippakis, started to walk out into the crowd while playing guitar. The craziest part of the show was the encore of Foals. They went absolutely ballistic! They did not hold back. This was a great ending to their LIFE IS YOURS show.