Indie rockers open West Coast tour at local bar and eatery on Monday night

Fresno’s experimental indie rockers Light Thieves kicked off their fall West Coast tour at Peeve’s Public House Monday night, with the Bay Area’s garage rock outfit Couches and local alt-punk group Two Currents opening.

Light Thieves began their tour in Fresno before setting off for Las Vegas, and eventually ending up as far north as Seattle and Boise, Idaho.

“Our end goal for this particular tour is to revisit and keep up with a growing fan base in the areas we played on previous tours. We hope to stay fresh with some of our friends and showgoers and also win over some new ones,” said Mike Adame, lead singer and keyboardist.

Light Thieves have previously played at the Treefort Music Festival in Idaho last spring, and Adame says that playing that particular festival is what is driving them back to the Pacific Northwest.

“I think we’re all just excited to get out on the road. I’m also excited to see some of the bands we’re set up to play with,” said Adame.

Starting the night was folk-punk three-piece Two Currents, playing their subdued style of americana music. With a consistent down-tempo and melancholy feel, Two Currents are reminiscent of big acts such as R.E.M. with a bit of Against Me! mixed in.

San Francisco’s Couches followed and created a great vibe within the venue with their upbeat, feel-good garage punk. Although a three-piece, Couches had a full-embodied sound, fuzzy, reminiscent of Canadian indie rock band Broken Social Scene. Both opening bands’ sound built up perfectly to the headlining act.

Light Thieves were welcomed by a full crowd at Peeve’s, as fans crowded the small stage. Lead singer Adame played the keyboard with both a digital and analog synth that supported bassist Erika Salazar. The combination created a dynamic approach to the often uninspiring music found among contemporary rock bands.

Guitarist Joel Melton’s riffs are haunting, with just enough pop melody to hold your attention . The most dramatic of the group, drummer Kaleb Saladate, is a physical powerhouse; drum fills and beats syncopate among all members, with powerful breakdowns that keep heads bobbing.

After performing, Adame said the show was a success.

“We had a lot of fun, but now I must go back to my home planet,” said Adame.

Light Thieves released their first full-length album “Spirit Homes” late last summer, and it was met with positive reviews, with local outlet Spanspek Music calling it “the most anticipated album release of the year.” Adame assures that new content is coming soon.

“We’re currently working on new music, some of which we’ve begun playing live. Within the last couple of months, we have been working toward an LP with a tentative release date of spring or summer of 2015,” said Adame.

To listen to Light Thieves, visit https://lightthieves.bandcamp.com.