Seraphina Lotkhamnga on September 12th, 2014

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“I feel everything,” sang WATERS frontman Van Pierszalowski on Wednesday night at the Echo. The sentiment (and title of WATERS’ latest single) rang loud and clear as Pierszalowski, clad in tie-dye, wailed the lyric while pogo-ing on stage toward the end of the evening. The energy was welcomed in the packed-to-the-gills room by fans who no doubt felt lucky to find out Pierszalowski and the band had recently relocated to Los Angeles from San Francisco.

• ||| Photos by Michelle Shiers

San Francisco’s Cathedrals, who just released their self-titled debut EP on Neon Records this week, kicked the night off with songs like the infectious electro-pop banger “Ooo Aaa” and the luxurious R&B ballad “Want My Love.”  Vocalist Brodie Jenkins captivated the room with her smoky vocals while her partner Johnny Hwin kept the beats going and shreded on the guitar.

L.A.’s fast-rising folk-pop singer-songwriter Zella Day followed with a packed room singing her praises while she performed pop gems like future radio hit “Sweet Ophelia” and sweeping anthem “East of Eden.” Day, whose fiery stage persona, raspy vocals and fringe kimono gave her a Cillie Barnes-meets-Lana Del Rey presence even during ballads such as the poignant “1965.” 

However, Pierszalowski and company stole the show as they played favorites from 2011’s “Out in the Light” as well as new songs from the forthcoming EP “It All Might Be OK,” due Oct. 14. Although longtime fans of Piersalowski might feel nostalgic for his days in Port O’Brien, WATERS’ guitar-pop continues to be simply unbridled ebullience at their live shows, and new tunes like “Got to My Head” have fans looking forward, not back. Pummeling through their set, WATERS played a rollicking set leaving fans shocked it was already past midnight when the tunes stopped.