Concerts, Music
Oct 15, 2013

PAINTING HOLLYWOOD RED: THE RED PAINTINGS PLAY

It was a very interesting Saturday night in Hollywood, and that is saying a lot for this town!  Watching The Red Paintings perform at Bar Sinister just off Hollywood Boulevard was the ideal spot for the band. The band’s incorporation of live art, human canvases and theatrics made everything all the more surreal.

Led by songwriter Trash McSweeney, an extremely passionate animal rights activist, the band is known for using outrageous headdresses, makeup, and costumes on stage. The wardrobes were incredible and McSweeney has found a way to get his message out loud and clear on stage.

The climax for me came during their hit song, “Wasps“ which was very dynamic. I liked the energy of this track and the violin player was epic. I felt like there was a consistent Alice in Wonderland theme on stage as the night got weirder and weirder. In fact, the vibrant costumes added life to the flow of the entire show.

In addition, I felt like Mcsweeney did an excellent job on vocals. When he sang, the room was his. Ever since suffering a near-fatal seizure eight years ago, Trash McSweeney, the musical architect of The Red Paintings, sees color in sound, a condition known as synesthesia. His musical project has set out to share with the world a lifetime’s worth of ideas about what he has seen and felt.

The Red Paintings have made it clear that they are one of the most visionary bands in the industry right now. McSweeney’s unique condition allows him to create the kind of music that most musicians only dream of making. The fact that he is in a position to translate his perspective into an album is awe-inspiring.

Watch their video from their first single from the album titled Wasps here. Their new album the Revolution Is Never Coming was released 9/30 in the U.S.

Visit The Red Paintings and follow them on Facebook.