Photos and Review by Emily Gringorten
@emgringo

Goth Babe brought the Lola tour to a sold out Catalyst Club in Santa Cruz on July 18th. It’s clear why the venue was so packed; frontman Griff Washburn’s exceptional stage presence and ample crowd interaction made for an extremely entertaining show. 

Husbands opened up with a strong and engaging set of garage rock and good vibes. The band released their latest single “Can’t Do Anything” earlier this week. Shortly after 9pm, the Goth Babe backing band started slow and warmed the crowd up with the ethereal track “New Born Worlds.” Afterwards, Washburn made his grand entrance and jumped right into a crowd favorite “Moments/Tides.”

The night was filled with surprises, including an inflatable watermelon that a fan crowd surfed on, a birthday celebration (complete with cupcakes hurled into the crowd,) and a giveaway of Halo 2 signed by the band. During another crowd favorite “Sometimes,” inflatable beach balls filled the air. It’s clear that Goth Babe prioritizes the fan experience, and it definitely paid off as fans matched his energy, jumping when he jumped and lingering on every word. 

With pounding bass, explosive lighting, and non-stop energy from Washburn, the show was engaging from the start to its triumphant finish. They closed with their biggest hit to date, “Weekend Friend” and the barricade shook as the crowd took it all in for the last time. 

The Lola tour will continue to snake through the US and Canada until late September, and I’d highly recommend catching a show if you can. For up to date info check out www.gothbabemusic.com for all the latest news.