Saturdays Off The 405: Fires Cant Touch You Poolside

Twenty-four hours before Poolside played at the J. Paul Getty Museum, there was a nearby fire that blazed across 70 acres of land. The roads to the Getty were shut down, and  visitors were shuttled out to safety as a precaution. But this was a new day. It was the perfect Saturday afternoon for the Getty’s summertime concert series, “Saturdays off the 405.” The sun was blazing and people of all ages and ethnicities sat around, waiting for the show to start. The mood was mellow as people lounged on the travertine sitting area, drinking beer and taking in the view.

Fans ranging from their mid twenties to late forties and fifties were excited to see Poolside perform. Jacqueline Landry, a fan since she first heard Poolside on Sound Cloud, was looking forward to the show and was happy to see a good turnout despite the recent fires.

In attendance were hipsters, parents with young children, and carefree teenage couples. Erika Bischoff, who had never heard of Poolside, enjoyed their sound, loved how the band mixed and sampled music, and particularly liked front man Filip Nikolic’s voice.

Jeffery Paradise and Nikolic, Poolside’s frontmen, have exceptionally down to earth and relaxed personalities, which is reflected in their work. Their music is best described as easy to listen to daytime disco.

“When you think of disco you think Studio 54 style, upbeat with an undertone of darkness,” Paradise explained. “We deal with soulful artists like Bill Withers, as well as the more upbeat part of disco.”

As the night went on, the concert was in full throttle, wherever you looked people were bobbing their heads and swaying to the sweet beat of the music. There was an air of unison in the crowd as everyone danced and just had a good time.

As the band played their last song, the crowd shouted, “Encore, encore, encore!”

Poolside obliged them and played two more songs before they officially bowed out for the night.