January 30, 2009 22:14

Strokes man debuts Nickel Eye solo project in LA

Support act Low vs Diamond draw a huge crowd

Nickel Eye, Strokes' bassist Nikolai Fraiture's new solo project, made it's Los Angeles debut at the Troubadour last night (January 29).

The band, which includes members of British band South, performed tracks from their newly released debut album 'The Time Of The Assassins', mixing elements of folk, rock and reggae.

When introducing the song 'Fountain Avenue', Fraiture said, "Because I spend so much time in LA and I love it here, I wrote a love song to one of your streets."

He also shouted out to fellow Stroke Nick Valensi, who watched from the balcony. "Thanks to Nick for lending me his guitar," Fraiture said when he switched from his acoustic instrument to a sharp yellow electric number for the song 'Brandy Of The Damned'.

The band also played a lively cover of Talking Heads' 'This Must Be The Place' before closing with 'Dying Star'.

Earlier in the evening, Low Vs Diamond packed the club, delivering a rousing set for an adoring hometown crowd. Frontman Lucas Field said the band had just returned to LA from Montreal, and were "happy to be back in the California sunshine". He also lamented the loss of LA's indie rock radio station, Indie 103.1, which abruptly went off the air two weeks ago.

"When I was out of town I heard Indie 103 went off the air," he said. "We've got to get it back!" and the audience cheered back in response.

The band played several tracks from their debut album, including 'Actions Are Actions' and 'Wasted', as their mothers looked on from the VIP section.

Low vs Diamond played:

'Interlude'
'Cinema Tonight'
'Song We Sang Away'
'Save Yourself'
'Wasted'
'Actions Are Actions'
'This Is Your Life'
'Heart Attack'
'Don't Forget Sister'
'Killer Bee'

Nickel Eye played:

'Intro'
'You And Everyone Else'
'Back From Exile'
'Fountain Avenue'
'This Is The End'
'Brandy Of The Damned'
'Providence, RI'
'Another Sunny Afternoon'
'This Must Be The Place'
'Dying Star'

--By our Los Angeles staff.
[url="/about"] Find out more about NME.[/url]