Anxious Brings the House Down at the Echoplex

March 23, 2025 – Los Angeles

Two years ago, I was part of a spontaneous group trip out to The Glass House in Pomona, with around 100 miles combining the trip from there to back, for bands that none of us listened to much of. I went in at least knowing of the headliners–Prince Daddy & The Hyena and Drug Church–but walked away with the tour’s openers stuck in my brain, one of which was Anxious.

And approximately two years since then, Anxious is back and going even stronger than ever, having embarked on a headlining tour for their newest album Bambi–released earlier this year through Run For Cover Records–which explores coming-of-age themes under an alternate name for the band that had been passed on and eventually rediscovered. On Sunday, the energetic quintet hit Los Angeles with a pop-up flea market at Brain Dead Studios and an explosive gig at the Echoplex.

Comprised of Grady Allen (vocalist), Dante Melucci (co-lead vocalist/guitarist), Tommy Harte (guitarist), Sam Allen (bassist) and Jonny Camner (drummer), the Connecticut-born group, whose genre most recently amalgams a catchy mixture of hardcore-emo-alternative rock, made for friendly hosts at their event earlier in the day, which boasted a meticulous selection of fashion, records, coffee and pastries against a soothing backdrop of greenery.

Photography by Carissa Leong (IG: @carissalphoto.cr2)

With their steady synchrony that alludes to the many years spent together as a band, it’s hard to believe how young they actually were since they started touring; within the range of 17 to 21, they found themselves playing shows across the United States. Although, as expected, being in a rising band so early in life was bound to clash with crucial moments as its members grew into young adulthood.

Luckily, vocalist Grady Allen elaborated upon his work-life balance and offered some advice for others who might wish to be in his shoes. “By always moving in several directions, I think you’ll always be inspired in the other things that you do,” Grady said. “So, you know, I think alternative music, especially the punk side of things drives a message of like ‘you need to be all in or you’re all out.’ And I think the truth is, if you’re involved in several spaces, you’ll thrive better and be more driven in music or school or your friends and your family. So keep your hands in as many things as possible.”

Turning toward how they prepare for their energetic shows and what they might be doing later that night, drummer Jonny Camner said, “if I don’t have a piece of gum before I play drums live, I’m going to flip out. I have to chew gum. I think it’s because my mouth gets so dry because I get so nervous every night that I just have to focus on something else besides how I feel and little things about the kit.”

Continuing that same train of thought, co-lead vocalist and guitarist Dante Melucci added, “I like to drink a lot of water. I drink, like eight bottles of water–that works for me, that gets me ready.”

As afternoon melted into evening and the road from Brain Dead Studios led to the Echoplex, nestled away beneath the bustling neighborhood of Echo Park, it was hard to confirm whether or not those pre-show rituals were properly carried out; however, in the case of the crowd, the rest of us were primed through a pair of opening acts–heavy-hitting, hardcore-influenced pop-punk band Stateside and upbeat post-punk outfit Ultra Q (formerly Mt. Eddy).

Photography by Carissa Leong (IG: @carissalphoto.cr2)

Right from the start, the sense of fervor was palpable, and though I was temporarily taken out of commission (as I took a stage diver to my camera, to my face), the community and the medics at the venue lifted me back up in an instant. I was still present enough to experience the breathless, frenetic nature of Stateside’s set as well as the deep, thrumming bass and drums, accompanied by distorted guitars, that composed Ultra Q’s tracks–and though tonally different, they were able to keep the energy up consistently until Anxious took the stage.

Photography by Carissa Leong (IG: @carissalphoto.cr2)

From the instant that the opening track “Never Said” off of Bambi transitioned from its soft introductory notes and vocals into its urgent chorus, the activity was amped up to 110%, spurring the crowd into endless movement as they writhed and dove onto one another in raucous, sweaty waves. That extent of enthusiasm ballooned even more with certain classics in Anxious’ discography like “In April” off of their 2022 debut LP Little Green House and one-off 2023 single “Down, Down,” which combines harsh verses with a more withdrawn chorus that reflects the sense of exhaustion in its lyrics.

One of their more experimentally poppier tracks, “Some Girls,” is among my personal favorites off of the newest album with its catchy, airy guitars and melancholically comforting tone as the lyrics “do you feel like you’re okay?” rang through the room. Though different from the intensity of the set thus far, members of the crowd still took to Grady’s encouragement, and they continued to run around the performing band before stage diving.

Toward the end of their set, Anxious showcased their versatility with a few of their new, mellower songs including “Tell Me Why” and “Next Big Star,” which involves crooning background vocals and catchy choruses that not enough people were singing along to. They ended the night strong with no pretense of a resolution and subsequent encore, finding a compromise in their hard and soft sounds with “Growing Up Song,” a dynamic pop-punk track with a furious drum part, interwoven vocals and the nostalgia-induced enthusiasm that came with pulling from their earlier works.

Photography by Carissa Leong (IG: @carissalphoto.cr2)

Two weeks into the tour, with listeners having had a month to soak up Bambi in its entirety, guitarist Tommy Harte shared his sentiments after being able to sit longer with its public release. “I think I like [the album] a lot more now that I’m not nervous about it. Because when you sit on it for as long as you tend to sit on an album, it gets really mentally agonizing to think about, to just have it to yourself and have no feedback on it,” Tommy said. “And then when people start reacting to it positively, and we get to play awesome shows, it feels better. […] And I’m more stoked on the songs now that we get to play all of them live. You know what I mean? So it being out in the open definitely gives me a greater appreciation.”

“Reacting to it positively” was an understatement, as the night culminated in a sold-out show, making it the band’s biggest headliner to date. Having surpassed this milestone with ease, Anxious persists as a must-see live act–and despite their youth relative to the scene, they already grasp the key to success, which lies in their honesty, fearless approach to change and intensely loyal community regardless of their sound direction. For whichever milestone that comes up next, Anxious remains poised to transcend it with uncontested vitality.