Protomartyr Makes Way Through Los Angeles

Protomartyr performing at the Teragram, Ballroom, LA by Shelby Pfau

MMC*’s first band covered professionally comes full circle

As someone who resides in Koreatown, a neighborhood well-known for truly inhumane parking, I figured that giving myself a whole hour in advance of the show to find parking would do me well; but despite my vulture-like strategies, it did not. In anticipation of their upcoming album, Formal Growth In The Desert, Protomartyr stopped in Los Angeles at Teragram Ballroom, and fans had already filled the streets of Westlake. After finally caving and giving in to a paid lot, I arrived on-site to see the floor was overflowing with appreciators, packed like sardines in a formation reminiscent of crescent arranged pews. Not that I was surprised, given the parking situation.

The room transcended once the first few glimmering chords of “Maidenhead” illuminated the space, immediately followed by the bands latest trashier single, “Make Way.” For a genre that tends to rely on physical impact in live performance, it’s astonishing that Protomartyr have been able to condense so much of the very same energy into tracks that hit so hard their live audiences don’t even have to mosh. It’s not that they don’t anyway, but when a song packs so much punch on it’s own, there’s almost nothing better than to give it a triumphant standing ovation while the sound washes over.

Protomartyr performing at the Teragram, Ballroom, LA by Shelby Pfau

Surprisingly, despite being their most recent full-length release, the Detroit quartet only played one song from 2020’s Ultimate Success Today, “Processed By The Boys.” I have always wondered how this track in specific would play out, and perhaps a headlining show was not the place for answers, but I vividly recall opening Instagram one day to see Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams sharing a playlist on Instagram with the track included. The sentiment had a badge of defeat, evidently the playlist was named differently prior, but upon sharing on socials she had updated it to be named, “everybody knows my username.” I don’t know the backstory or how Paramore fans were able to unearth her Spotify, but I haven’t forgotton the validation of seeing someone in music that I look up to listening to the same tracks I was. The question might linger forever, did it create a spike in streams? Did rabid Paramore fans somehow create a fan acquisition campaign for Protomartyr on accident? All I know is that if any emerging post-punk act deserves a co-sign from Paramore, it’s Protomartyr. 

The performance continued with a signature hollow grit that bellows through the room. Every guitar chord reminded me of citrus, the juicy yet sharp distortion cutting through towering percussion the way a bite of lime illuminates the taste buds after a numbing shot of tequila. Most of the songs played were from 2015’s The Agent Intellect, including, “Pontiac 47” and “The Devil In His Youth.” Again, it was surprising that so many early tracks were played given they released a record in 2017 titled Relatives In Descent, but with such a quality trackrecord, not a soul was complaining. By the time Protomartyr returns, we’d be so lucky to be served so many early hits, and I will forever relish being able to hear “Feral Cats” off of their 2012 debut, No Passion All Technique. Check out the set list here!

PS: Check out our gallery of photos from the performance!

PS: Check out our gallery of photos from the performance!