L.A. Girlfriend
L.A. Girlfriend’s Sydney Banta; press photo courtesy of the artist.
Watch the Brandon Riley Miller video for L.A. Girlfriend’s fabulous & sublime “Subliminal Fantastic” taken off the album Neon Grey featuring frontwoman Sydney Banta performing desert dances as the camera spins all around her (while Sydney stays center in the shot’s frame of composition. Situated in a vast & arid desert setting surrounded by hills & mountains of varying degrees of majesty; the freeing environment allows Banta to entertain all involved aesthetics where she dances with a black veil as if no one else was present watching or listening.
“Subliminal Fantastic” is an ultra-bright electric anthem that is something out of a romanticized Mad Max-esque future where road warriors & missed connections both meet & depart in the blinking light of the moment. Dressed in punky DIY self-styled garb complete with Missing Persons-style eye make-up, Sydney seizes her moment in the clenched claw-gloved fist motions & more that spell out all the track’s rhythms & sublimimal subtexts according to her own inspired choreographed design. The video’s minimalist approach of just Sydney in the middle of a desert landscape takes on a dizzying & magnificent character that becomes something that feels larger than life (& inspired by life). And long after the track & video have concluded, the lyrics of “when the party collapses….when it ends in goodbye…” will continue to resonate with a heart dropping effect, like the way you feel while on a rollercoaster drop. Read our latest discussion with the always amazing Sydney Banta.
Describe what making the minimalist yet grand Brandon Riley Miller video for “Subliminal Fantastic” was like.
Honestly, it was a dream come true! Brandon is such a talented filmmaker, documentarian and photographer. I’ve been wanting to work with him for a while, so to get the opportunity to do so was an honor. Thankfully, he was open to letting me combine my love for Mad Max, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, and dancing into one concept. Mixing those things together sounds like it could end up as a terrible (actually, maybe genius) high school musical of sorts, but it resulted in something that is dark, beautiful and hypnotic – everything I wanted for this particular song. We’re both super proud of this video!
What is the LAGF game-plan post-Neon Grey?
Now in this post-Neon Grey life, the plan is to keep hustling and work hard at improving the live show, getting out of town more, and being more active as a musician as much as I can. I’ve been working on my next album for 2017 as well and I’m super stoked to finish it; already have a slew of video ideas too so that is definitely on the to-do list.
Other things you are working on, collaborations, etc that you can divulge right now?
I’ve actually been working on my DJ chops; aiming to polish that facet of the LAGF brand and hopefully DJ a major Vegas pool party in the future – It’s another wacky dream/goal of mine just to say I did it. More importantly, Los Angeles has a new cheer squad called Fox Brigade; we’ve been working together for L.A. Girlfriend shows here and there…who knew cheerleaders could make live shows so much better?
Los Angeles icon Sydney Banta, oka L.A. Girlfriend; press photo courtesy of the artist.
Current fascinating things happening in LA right now?
Right now, I think everyone is getting ready for Halloween weekend and/or panicking to find a last minute costume. There seems to be a lot of parties going on, and to add to the mayhem, Friday, October 28th, I’ll be hosting The Goth Ball at Resident in downtown LA. I’ve asked Disco Shrine and Nicky Blitz to join me that night for a pretty epic costume/ dance party. I think we’re all getting pretty pumped for that.
Other rad things the world should know about, being talking about, etc?
Does the world know you are rad? I hope so!
