Review: Colleen Green's emotional return to Los Angeles

Colleen Green's I Want to Grow Up 10th Anniversary tour finally stopped in Los Angeles, specifically at El Cid. It was a packed house to welcome her back as a few years ago she returned to Lowell, Massachusetts. Of a side interest to me, the DJ played fellow Massachusetts band Potty Mouth's "Smash Hit" prior to her set. That band also moved out to Los Angeles after forming in Massachusetts. I believe I saw one of their first Los Angeles shows (as a Los Angeles based band) back in 2017. I have to think that Colleen Green placed that song specifically on the list.

Colleen Green at El Cid

As she came out on stage to set up her gear, the crowd cheered and she gave a brief wave. She had previously decorated the stage with a bunch of balloons, but those had all floated around during the two openers so she went around collecting the balloons and putting them closer to the front of the stage. Interestingly, throughout the night, the balloons kept popping. I'm guessing from the vibrating sound waves of the guitars, bass, and drums.

As a final added touch, she put on a party hat (she wore one for the album cover) and her classic black sun-glasses. When she put on those sun-glasses, she gave the crowd a grinning knowing look and a, "Hey everyone, what's up? . . . . we're about to do something that's never been done before in the city of Los Angeles and that's play my 2015 record I Want to Grow Up from front to back." That brought out even more cheers.

Colleen Green at El Cid

Other than hearing this album played live and in full for the first time ever, this El Cid night did bring another first for me. There is always a chance that my memory is faulty, but this was the first time I saw her play with a backing band, her tour mates Rozwell Kid.

The year 2015 is when I first crossed paths with her when she opened for Kim and the Created at the Echoplex. L.A. Witch also played that night. It was a packed house and I immediately fell in love with her lo-fi music. I put her on my 2015 new to me band list and wrote about that night, all three bands specifically, "It was like watching the LA Lakers winning 3 championships in a row." I only got to catch Colleen Green 2 more times. Once in 2016 at The Echo and in 2018 at Harvard & Stone. I did try to catch a set in 2019 at The Echo, but either I misread the calendar and she had played on another date or she had to drop out at the last minute. Anyways, my favorite memory of Colleen Green was when I was attending an afternoon of music at Cosmic Vinyl in Echo Park (they've since moved to Highland Park, if anyone is confused). She was working the cash register there. I was near the cash register at some point in time and between a break of working the register, she came over and told me that she recognized me. 

Colleen Green at El Cid

An amusing night of the set occurred after she finished playing the third track of the album, "TV." I've got to say that this song has a fun buzzy beat to it. "We're at the end of Side A. Do you know what that means?" The general response from the audience was, "Side B." She responded, "Every night, a different answer. I love it. It's like anthropology." What was the response from other tour stops? Maybe some yelled out the next track, "Deeper than Love?" In one way, this song's lyrics best encapsulates the album's title: 

Like will I find a love that lasts as long as my life?
Or will I die before ever becoming a wife?
And I'm wondering if I'm even the marrying kind

Colleen Green at El Cid

A fan favorite may have been "Things That Are Bad for Me (Part 1)." It is a rocker of a song. She stopped singing for a brief second and turned the microphone to the crowd, which sang back the lyrics.  

After singing the last song of the album "Whatever I Want," she grabbed a vinyl of the album (she had previously placed it next to the bass drum) and held it up next to her face. She then started singing "Happy Birthday" and the crowd sang along. When it came to the part where one is supposed to insert the name of the person celebrating their birthday, she stopped singing and I would say that most people in the crowd sang back with "album." I wonder if this is another moment where fans across the country respond differently.   

Colleen Green at El Cid

She ended the night with a three song encore: "Time in the World," "I Wanna Be a Dog," and "I Wanna Be Degraded." Before singing that final song, she said, "This was really special. This was really special." I swear there was an emotional crack in her nonchalant persona.  

My amusing observation: she twice went for her lipstick. 

Setlist: I Want to Grow Up, Wild One, TV, Pay Attention, Deeper Than Love, Things That Are Bad for Me (Part 1), Things That Are Bad for Me (Part II), Some People, Grind My Teeth, Whatever I Want. Encores: Time in the World, I Wanna Be a Dog, I Wanna Be Degraded.