"Take a day off from your own self, wander through the corridors of curiosity, and let the unexpected whispers of existence unveil untold chapters within."
― Monika Ajay Kaul
Sue and I took a break from the peak of spring migration to see Beach House at The Factory in St. Louis. I'd seen them once before on their Once Twice Melody tour.
Beach House is an alternative dream-pop band consisting of Victoria Legrand (vocals, keyboards) and Alex Scally (guitar, vocals, keyboards, bass pedals). They tour with a regular drummer, James Barone. I discovered them through the shoegaze genre, starting with My Bloody Valentine. Ever since Pink Floyd, I've been drawn to bands with a psychedelic sound, which I try to emulate in my own music. While Scally is a solid guitarist, his solos aren't usually the focal point of their songs.
They're not touring in support of a new album, and their US run is just four shows before they head off to Europe. The couple sitting next to us had flown in all the way from Los Angeles just to see them. True to Beach House form, the set was relatively short — 17 songs over an hour and a half. As you can see, they pair their signature sound with an impressive light show that fits perfectly with the music.
If you've never heard their music, here's a sample:
A great time, but now it's back to birding and insecting!
All images © 2025 Mike McDowell