REVIEW: The Drums Preview New Era of ‘Jonny’ on Tour
JONNY PIERCE OF THE DRUMS WRAPPED UP HIS SUMMER TOUR — last Friday at San Francisco’s The Regency Ballroom. It’s been two months of promoting and road testing new songs off The Drums’ forthcoming album, Jonny. As of late 2016, The Drums and Jonny Pierce became interchangeable nouns to their fans and to the public. After founding member Jacob Graham revealed that he had left the band in 2017, The Drums released their two most personal and experimental albums, Abysmal Thoughts (2017) and Brutalism (2019), which conveyed Pierce’s self-affirmation. His final show in San Francisco highlighted his journey and fans’ support as the remaining member of The Drums: confident, fun, and full of love.
The relationship between Pierce and his fans is a two-way street. There was a fundamental understanding and support among The Drums’ crowd at The Regency. Most movement occurred during Portamento and self-titled classics such as “Money” and “Best Friend.” The pop sensibilities in their indie rock sound — overtly more a feeling than a sound — is what causes many longtime The Drums fans to dance and sing. But ever since Pierce’s solo stint into more personal and vulnerable life-sharing, his audience is careful to tune in and give their undivided attention during deep cuts like tour opener “Are U Fucked” and Brutalism’s “I Wanna Go Back.”
This tour, for Pierce, is different from all the others. He has a history with not-so-great touring experiences. When touring Brutalism, Pierce told Complex that it’s difficult to be in the moment on stage. A few days into his summer tour, he posted an endearing update on The Drums’ Instagram: “I have never had a tour be so life-giving… I’ve done a lot of work to build a home, a family, and a safety inside of myself, and this is the first tour where I feel I’ve brought all that goodness with me.”
He shared the same sentiment with San Francisco’s audience after enchanting the venue with the beachy and idyllic “Let’s Go Surfing.”
“What’s great about this tour is that I’m finally in a place in my life where I can feel your love in real time,” Pierce shared. “My deepest wish tonight is that the love you’re giving me goes through my belly and goes to you and you feel it in real time too.”
He took this time to share details about the songs on Jonny. Although the album is due on Oct. 13, a “spooky” day, he remarked, it traverses sweetness and love. Anyone in attendance of The Drums’ summer shows got to hear these songs live. They have a similar danceability to Pierce’s early works, especially his newest single, “Isolette.”
As a prelude to performing “Plastic Envelope,” he talked about the important role a newfound father figure had on his new album.
“In New York City I was working retail, and we struck up a friendship and very quickly he became like a parent to me, like a parent I didn’t have — ever,” Pierce shared with the crowd. “He’s here tonight… At the age of 38 or 39 I sat down with him for lunch and I said, ‘Okay, enough’s enough — do you want to be my legal father?’ We were already there, you know? I was like, let’s just fucking do it, you know? I never told anyone about this. You’re the first audience.”
Throughout the show, Pierce never stopped smiling. He exuded freedom and vulnerability on stage that washed over the whole crowd, who would constantly shout out, “I love you, Jonny!” The performance played out like a production so true to Pierce. His pre-show music was a mix of experimental house music. As he opened on stage, he grinded on his mic stand, making everyone erupt in approving cheers. His dance moves are calculated yet fluid, infectiously making even the balcony get out of their seats. Each song ended with a cut to the lights, as if saying, “End scene.”
With a setlist filled mostly with Portamento tracks, The Drums’ new singles blended seamlessly into the show. However, Pierce is clearly in a completely different place in his life — physically, mentally, and spiritually — than when he was 30. Now that the tour has come to an end, we can only look forward to the new era of Jonny Pierce.
