Upon meeting James Alex, it dawned on me that he is a very affable and timid man. And upon further exploration, shyness is a trait he would agree suffering from at times. Although the aforementioned bashfulness is certainly forfeited once Beach Slang hits the stage.
James nervously answered questions from a multitude of media types slightly fidgeting with each question. Yet, he was thoughtful and succinct with his answers. During our conversation, he loosened up and I was able to see a sly smile upon his countenance, displaying a bit of mischievousness. Our dialogue centered upon touring and the yet to be announced tour with Repeat Repeat, which I believe is a perfect blend of surf pop influence with indie/punk rock swing. James concurred stating “I’m honored to be touring with such a great band and talented musicians.” When pressed about the variance in the two bands musical styles, his response was “What difference?” “It’s all energy when you hit the stage.” This energy James refers to ravages the stage once Beach Slang initiates their set. The crowd was highly anticipating the forthcoming show. I was standing next to a couple who were advocating for Beach Slang. They readily shared with me the play by play of potential set lists, movements of the band, as well as guitar playing antics of James.
Needless to say, the music was raw power. Mixing classic punk rock with an indie rock flavor. Personally, I was stoked when the band flawlessly unleashed a vigorous version of “Future Mixtapes For The Art Kids”. I was overwhelmingly impressed with the totality of stage presence, vocals, and tightness of the band. I wish them all the best on the new tour and God Bless Rock n Roll!