The Temper Trap return to LA with blissful performance at Fonda, Walking Shapes give impressive opening set

This past Monday, Australian indie-pop crooners, The Temper Trap made their sweet return to Los Angeles. The Fonda Theatre was packed for this highly anticipated sold-out show. The Temper Trap last performed in Los Angeles in August of 2014 at The Roxy. It was a tight one-off show with very little room for all of the Temper Trap’s many fans. As you can imagine, Los Angeles fans were elated to hear of their arrival at the Fonda Theatre. Judging by the smiles across their faces, it seemed as though The Temper Trap were just as excited to be in the City of Angels.

The crowd at the Fonda got to jam to some Temper Trap favorites such as, “Love Lost,” and my personal favorite, ”Soldier On,” both from their 2008 debut album Conditions. We also got a sweet-sweet taste of some fresh material off their upcoming June 10th release, Thick as Thieves. And let me tell you, fans were taking it all in; every delicious drop of new music. Get ready to swoon.

The Temper Trap’s last album release was four years ago. I guess it’s true that great things take time; the band proved that on Monday night serving a tasty dose of moody pop-rock.

What always pulled me in to The Temper Trap’s music was the ever-striking vocals of singer, Dougy Mandagi. This guy truly has the “it” factor. The grandiose music provided by the rest of the group definitely amplifies the overall sound, but Mandagi could capture the attention and ears of a stadium if he wanted too.

Opening up the evening were Walking Shapes. Hailing from New York City, these five guys tore the Fonda up! It’s not too common for an opening act to bring such a force. They were fantastic. Walking Shapes brought their catchy and unique take on fun indie pop music. Led by the very bouncy Nathaniel Boho, these dudes took the crowd by storm. And he really was “bouncy”. This guy gave such an awesome stage presence from start-to-finish. He even shared some close moments with the front-and-center fans when he hopped off the stage and made his way straight for the people. Walking Shapes were quite impressive, and kick-started the good vibes for the evening.

Overall, two solid acts giving two stellar live performances. The Temper Trap will be back in Los Angeles (and Orange County) this October. View more tour dates here. You can also view Walking Shapes tour dates here.

Words & Photography: Danielle Gornbein