Doll Klaw is headed for big places. Last night—though not as well attended as it should be—at San Francisco’s Boom Boom Room, the stage still felt like it could barely contain her energetic largesse with a reverse lineup of Doll Klaw headlining, along with later additional acts NO and St. Brendan.

A solo artist and creator (aka Jessica Caro), Doll Klaw is an amalgam of various sonic influences, from The Knife to Beach House to Cocteau Twins. Growing up in El Monte (a suburb of East L.A.), her music is everything that Los Angeles indie music strives to be: dark, danceable, dreamy and sometimes full of despair (her song “Angelica” is about the overdose of a childhood friend and the guilt that it instilled). She has a strong work ethic (so strong in fact, she is touring with a rollerskating-related broken arm) and brings her highest self to her set. With a look that at first seems petite and diminutive, it quickly becomes evident that she is bringing the real heat. Her voice is strong and full of life, a mesmerizing mezzo-soprano that engages from the core in tragically hip songs like “Angelica” and “Inside”, as well as two dazzling unreleased singles, “Music Fest” and “Facade”. Along with her backing keyboardist Oscar Gallegos and drummer Adrian Mend, this was her first stint in the Bay Area, yet she made instant fans of everyone in attendance. We will be looking forward to seeing her fanbase inevitably grow across California and the rest of the West Coast. If you’re in L.A., you need to check her out, as well as listen to her latest EP “Thorns” here.

NO is a solo act that features a strong synth groove and heavy electronic percussion reminiscent of Depeche Mode’s more transgressive middle period. NO is wild, NO is no holds barred, NO means NO.

Saint Brendan is a master of instrumental electronica and a whiz on the synth. Endorsed by Sequential Synth, he finished the lineup strong with dance music that belongs on a Coachella lineup.

Doll Klaw Review