Review and Gallery: Olivia Jean’s “Ghost” Haunts The Moroccan Lounge
WHAT’S A GOTH GIRL TO DO — when the world stops caring about guitars? Most slink away and make compromising synthesized pop but only the few — the ones who really believe in low lighting and heavy eyeliner — can pick up their six-string and carve out a niche.
Over three solo albums (including 2023’s Raving Ghost), Olivia Jean has advanced and refined the dark garage sound she initially explored with her former band, The Black Belles. On an Olivia Jean record, listeners can find swampy instrumentation, moody vocals, and a general feeling of rebellious bleakness. It’s music that begs to be heard live.
The Moroccan Lounge, on track to becoming the best rock venue in LA, was the ideal setting for Jean’s show. Under the same deep purple lighting as Raving Ghost’s artwork, the band filed out and launched right into it. They carried the same infectious energy nonstop. The trust and familiarity between players was so strong; the band seemed rehearsed yet spontaneous and their precision always looked loose.
Jean stood in the center armed with a guitar and mic wearing a stylish pink blazer and big ’60s girl group hair. The chemistry with her band was palpable, filled with frequent glances and asides. She’s clearly cultivated an active fan base with many in the audience, dressing close to her aesthetic. The setlist mostly contained cuts from Raving Ghost but all previous albums (including The Black Belles) were represented.
Jean played guitar on every track and sometime between the second and third solo of the night, it became evident we were in the presence of a garage goth queen who wasn’t going to rest until everyone felt the same jolt of energy coming from her unbridled expression. Not a soul stood still.
A gallery from the evening is featured below.
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