PHOTOS: Last Dinosaurs @ Mercury Lounge 5/5
By Caroline Barry
If a cartoon protagonist, a goth, and a cute Mark Zuckerberg formed one of the most danceable sounds currently on the indie scene, they would be called Last Dinosaurs. And, like those long-gone reptiles, I wasn’t sure I’d ever have the chance to see this group with my own two eyes. That is, until they appeared at Mercury Lounge on the night of May 5.
Last Dinosaurs is an Aussie band currently formed of lead Sean Caskey, his brother Lachlan on guitar, and Michael Sloane on bass. They released their third album, Yumeno Garden, in October 2018. But Last Dinosaurs’ fame has much earlier roots; the success of their debut EP “Back from the Dead” launched them into festivals alongside Foals, Foster The People, and Matt & Kim. Their 2012 debut album, In a Million Years, received rave reviews and by the time their second album, Wellness, was out, they had toured Australia, Europe, East Asia, and South Africa. But it wasn’t until this April that Last Dinosaurs finally touched down in these great United States for a nearly-sold-out tour.
When Last Dinosaurs announced this American tour, I knew tickets would be a hot commodity. The original dates sold out in minutes. Caskey said it himself at the show: the American fanbase shocked the band. They had to triple almost all of their dates in each city due to the massive demand they were unaware they even had. Apparently all those “come to America!!!!” Instagram comments weren’t a fruitless effort.
Rarely have I enjoyed an opener as much as I did that night. Loose Buttons had fantastic stage presence, matching the energy between their calmer songs and a blaring Velvet Underground cover. They’re undeniably talented and the crowd showed a lot of love.
Singer Eric Nizgretsky demanded they would be our second favorite band by the end of the night. That may not have been achieved for me quite yet, but I have high hopes for their success. Fans of Vista Kicks and Tipling Rock, head their way.
Fans at the show chatted about how they discovered Last Dinosaurs. Turns out many of us had a similar story. Sometime early in high school (circa 2012) their music was stuck in our YouTube recommendations (probably “Weekend”), and from there we all fell in love. Their music hits hard when it needs to. Listen to the music when you’re happy and the lyrics when you’re down. For me, in times when I couldn’t put into words what I was feeling, their songs did it for me: breakups, identity crises, existential dread. But it doesn’t have to be that deep. Songs like “Eleven” and “Apollo” will have you dancing from the first chord ’til the last. Their music plays with thematic transitions like ocean waves and subtle chatter. My favorite from the new album has to be “Bass God,” named appropriately for its bass-heavy, funky sound. And, if you’re feeling up for a deep dive, search for their Japanese cover of “Time & Place,” written in admiration of Nikola Tesla—you won’t be disappointed.
Don’t worry that you missed their show because these boys will be back in America for another round later this year. If you’re able to catch one of these shows, wear your dancing shoes and prepare to fall in love with another handful of incredibly talented indie boys.
