REVIEW: Vista Kicks 2/17/23

Vista Kicks - The Fonda Theatre 

What better venue for a band’s self-proclaimed Last Show Ever than the Fonda Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard? On February 17th, the Vista Kicks played their final concert for an almost-sold-out crowd with openers Scout Larue Willis and Swimm, making use of the concert hall’s excellent acoustics to put on a show that highlighted lead singer Derek Thomas’ and supporting Hail Maries’ beautiful voices. 

Having just released the collaborative album All Hail Vista Maries two days prior, the Vista Kicks’ Last Show Ever bid adieu to their original moniker as the group disbands, with Thomas leaving specifically to focus on a solo career. It is safe to say that this concert was emotionally charged for both the band as well as the audience; Thomas proclaimed how it was “such a special night” multiple times, thanking the crowd and the fanbase at large for their endless support between hits new and old such as “Marceline” and “Superstitions” to peals of applause that grew louder as the concert stretched on past midnight. The crowd ranged widely in every direction – in front of us stood a mom and daughter duo who danced and sang along to every song while to both sides of us stood groups of friends and couples of all ages, enthusiastically dancing and singing and holding one another in the bittersweet moment of their favorite band’s final concert. There were few phones to be seen among the dedicated crowd members, the refreshing hallmark of a band that has successfully developed a fanbase without reliance on TikTok and social media. The audience was clearly living in the present moment, more focused on whether to sway or jump to each song on the setlist. 

As is true of many talented vocalists, recorded versions of the Vista Kicks’ songs do not even begin to do justice to Derek Thomas’ amazing voice, made all the better by the angelic chorus of the Hail Maries. Alternating between classic rock with an almost honky-tonk twang from their latest collaborative album and true surf rock from their prior releases, we were blown away by the sheer amount of talent displayed at this show. Even aside from the vocals, every member of the band demonstrated immense skill and wonderful energy on stage. Between effortlessly strong, unwavering vocals that demonstrate immense control on part of Thomas, funky distorted basslines from Trevor Sutton, and carrying drum beats from Nolan Le Vine, the live cohesion of the Vista Kicks only emphasized the tragedy of their breakup. 

Nearing the end of the night, Thomas introduced his bandmates and offered a heartfelt reflection on the band’s past, present, and future. He described their rough patches, the four of them having lived out of a van, a one-bedroom apartment, and even their studio as they struggled to pursue a musical path together between touring and writing albums. It is a wonder that the band stuck it out so long, and it is safe to say that they are much better off now, with the freedom and opportunity to explore new paths separate from their group identity. The sadness of their split did not bring down the vibe of the night. The touching speech was followed by a final three songs, each crowd-favorite knockout from older albums that made the audience dance and engage more than ever. The finality of this Last Show Ever only fanned the fire of the committed concert-goers, amping up the band’s stage presence in exchange for the energy of the crowd. 

Even though we were not as familiar with the newest album, the aforementioned All Hail Vista Maries, every song played that Friday night at the Fonda sounded as though it was familiar, to where we couldn’t tell if we had in fact heard them before somehow or if the Vista Kicks had managed to completely master their sound without overdoing it by sounding repetitive. We’re leaning toward the latter. 

Although you might not be so lucky as to see the Vista Kicks in concert ever again, we highly support surf and classic rock enjoyers to give All Hail Vista Maries a listen. We’d also like to recommend “Gimme Love,” “Alice,” “Chasing Waves,” and “Give Myself to You,” off of earlier albums that stand the test of time as excellent additions to the Surf Rock Sunshine-sound. 

- Hazel Sepenuk and Santana Vespe