Temples perform at U Street Music Hall on Jan. 20, 2020. (Photo by Kyle Gustafson)
Sometimes when it’s cold as hell out, the best thing to do is pack into a small crowded room and watch a killer rock show. That’s exactly what I did on Monday, catching a brilliant show from Temples at U Street Music Hall.
Kettering, Northamptonshire’s finest are darkening doorways on this side of the pond behind the group’s third album, Hot Motion, a beefier effort more in line with their paisley-draped debut Sun Structures than their electric-based sophomore album, 2017’s Volcano. Think recent Tame Impala if they were from Liverpool. Or Kula Shaker, except good.
Lead singer and guitarist James Bagshaw, sporting the most amazing 1984-era John McEnroe hair, led the group through a taught 16-song set on Jan. 20. Hot Motion was well represented with the banging title track as well as the deliciously upbeat, rifftastic “Holy Horses” and the falsetto powered “Your Either on Something.”
Stream Hot Motion by Temples on Spotify:
Sun Structure also got a good workout, with crowd faves “Mesmerise,” “A Question Isn’t Answered,” and “Shelter Song.” Guitarist/keyboardist Adam Smith provided added riffage while bassist Tom Walmsley, stationed to Bagshaw’s left, whirled back and forth while keeping time with drummer Rens Ottink.
Temples are on the road across the USA through early February, hitting the northeast, Canada, midwest, and west coast. Don’t miss them.
Temples – 2020 Tour Dates
1/23/20 – Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair
1/24/20 – Philadelphia, PA – The Foundry at The Filmore
1/26/20 – Montreal, QC – L’Astral
1/28/20 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace
1/30/20 – Detroit, MI – Shelter
1/31/20 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
2/1/20 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th Street Entry
2/4/20 – Vancouver, BC – Fox Cabaret
2/6/20 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge
2/7/20 – Seattle, WA – The Crocodile Cafe
For more Temples, visit the band’s website.
Here are some photos of Temples performing at U Street Music Hall on Jan. 20, 2020. All photos copyright and courtesy of Kyle Gustafson.
[…] Underrated UK quartet Temples are touring to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their debut album, Sun Structures, and they recently played Union Stage at The Wharf. A collection of fuzzy, upbeat psychedelic-pop, the album went Top 10 in the UK but had a harder time making a dent on these shores. But the band has put in the work, touring the States on numerous occasions, including six previous DC shows since 2013. I saw them at U Street Music Hall in 2020 and thought they were fab. […]