La Luz begin their North American tour on Tuesday in Philly (8/23), with East Coast and Midwest dates through September 4, including a NYC shows this Friday, August 26 at Bowery Ballroom with tourmates Ghost Funk Orchestra. They'll then be back out for West Coast shows in November. All dates are listed below.
La Luz's most recent album is last year's excellent self-titled which they made with producer Adrian Younge. Listen to that below.
Ahead of their tour, we asked frontwoman Shana Cleveland what has been influencing her lately -- and what influenced La Luz -- and her list includes music (Love, Stevie Wonder, Yes), life in Northern California, books, nature and more. Read Shana's list and commentary below.
LA LUZ - 10 INFLUENCES BEHIND LA LUZ
Love (the band)
I’ve always thought of La Luz as being a kindred spirit to the band Love, I love the dynamics at play in songs like “August”. Love nails sincere emotional intensity combined with lighthearted humor in a way that really resonates with me. I was listening to Da Capo a lot during the writing of this album and sent a couple of the tracks on that album to my bandmates as references for the vibe I had in mind with early demos.
Country livin’
I moved to a rural area of Northern California a few years ago and the lack of human interaction has brought my attention to the ways in which the natural world opens up and expands when given your quiet, curious attention. The way light comes through leaves like stained glass in a cathedral. How the death and rot of one thing blooms into a new ecosystem of tiny life. How narrowing your focus and quieting your mind expands your universe in a way that goes beyond logical comprehension and into the mystical. How we can exist outside of time by the simple act of choosing to be close and slow.
Trout Fishing in America
Richard Brautigan is my favorite writer and I’ve read this book countless times. The stories are short, the language is simple, the metaphors are wild, the insight into the human condition is uniquely gorgeous.
The Covid 19 Pandemic
Someday that’ll be a lame band name, then it’ll be a cool band name, then humanity will just be a glint in the eye of a subterranean worm. But seriously folks, being forced to stay home for a couple years as a new mom was sweet in a lot of ways. It was a very tender time being alone in the country with our new little family and a lot of the songs on this album are a reflection of that intimacy.
Early 70s Stevie Wonder Albums
The records Stevie made in the early 70s, in particular Talking Book, Innervisions, and Fulfillingness Final Finale are constant life influences for me and it was exciting being able to work in an all-analog studio with Adrian Younge because I know those albums are touchstones for him too.
The guitar on “Looking for Another Pure Love”
Speaking of 70s Stevie, the guitar part that Jeff Beck plays on this track is basically my guitar god. Weird, drunken, so perfect it’s kinda funny–in fact Stevie laughs a little when he introduces the solo.
The Goldberg Variations as played by Glenn Gould, 1956 recording
This is probably the biggest singular musical influence for me. I got into this recording in a big way when I was 15 and always turn to it to let my mind wander off somewhere interesting.
Eddie and Ernie - “Falling Tears (Indian Drums)”
This song was a vibe influence for the first track on our album, “In the Country”. Eddie and Ernie have this perfect record of sweet harmony soul songs that is one of my most treasured albums.
Nature walks
I took a lot of long walks through the wilderness during the pandemic and a lot of the vocal melodies on this album came to me during those times.
“Heart of the Sunrise” by Yes
I had this song in my mind when we were recording the last track of the album, “Spider House”. You’d have to look pretty hard for similarities between the two songs but I feel like anytime I turn on a fuzz pedal and get even a tiny bit proggy I am dreaming of this awesome song. I think I will continue making secret homages to it forever.
LA LUZ - 2022 TOUR DATES
Tue, AUG 23 - THE SINCLAIR - CAMBRIDGE, MA
Wed, AUG 24 - PHILAMOCA - PHILADELPHIA, PA
Thu, AUG 25 - BLACK CAT - WASHINGTON, DC
Fri, AUG 26 - BOWERY BALLROOM - NEW YORK, NY
Sat, AUG 27 - EMPIRE LIVE - ALBANY, NY
Mon, AUG 29 - LEE'S PALACE - TORONTO, CANADA
Tue, AUG 30 - THE MAGIC BAG - FERNDALE, MI
Thu, SEP 1 - PYRAMID SCHEME - GRAND RAPIDS, MI
Fri, SEP 2 - OUT OF SPACE AT TEMPERANCE: CAR SEAT HEADREST WITH LA LUZ - EVANSTON, IL
Sat, SEP 3 - NELSONVILLE MUSIC FEST 2022 - NELSONVILLE, OH
Sun, SEP 4 - ALL IN MUSIC FESTIVAL - INDIANAPOLIS, IN
Tue, NOV 8 - HARLOW'S RESTAURANT & NIGHTCLUB - SACRAMENTO, CA
Wed, NOV 9 - THE HOLLAND PROJECT - RENO, NV
Thu, NOV 10 - THEATER ARTS BUILDING/VAN DUZER THEATRE - ARCATA, CA
Fri, NOV 11 - THE CHAPEL - SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Sun, NOV 13 - RIO THEATRE - SANTA CRUZ, CA
Tue, NOV 15 - PAPPY & HARRIET'S - PIONEERTOWN, CA
Thu, NOV 17 - REGENT THEATER DTLA - LOS ANGELES, CA
Fri, NOV 18 - 24 OXFORD - LAS VEGAS, NV
Sat, NOV 19 - CASBAH - SAN DIEGO, CA - TICKETS