Men I Trust at The Wiltern
Men I Trust members Jessy Caron, Dragos Chiriac, and Emma Proulx (alongside Eric Maillet and Cedric Martel) leave the crowds entranced in Los Angeles.
The Canadian dream pop-rock band had their hands full on November 4th playing back-to-back shows at the historic Wiltern Theatre. These two shows were part of a major twenty-five-show U.S. tour which spaned from mid-October to mid-November. The band had been riding a commercial and creative high in 2023 with their recent single “Ring of Past,” social media domination with tracks such as “Show Me How” and “Oncle Jazz,” and a world tour to boot.
As luck would have it, in the chaos of my night before the show (which included, but was not limited to, 6 passengers in a 5-passenger car and a verbal altercation at a Hollywood grocery store) I was unable to see the tour's opener, TOPS. While this was a shame, my fortune turned out to be anything but smut. Before entering, I met a fellow alumnus of the University of Washington who pulled some strings to get me Pit tickets. I was originally going to sit in the nose bleeds of the mighty venue. Standing in the Pit put me less than a stone's throw away from each band member. A quick and LARGE thank you to Ben and Go Dawgs!
Men I Trust’s set was phenomenal.
Layout: The band was spread across the fairly wide stage almost equally. Lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Emma was in the middle, key player Dragos behind, bassist Cedric to her left, drummer Eric, and guitarist Jessy to the right. This setup gave Emma the shine she deserved and let them easily interact. I was a big fan of the drums off to the side instead of the middle. I think it gave the stage a more jam session/chill look and invited the crowd to feel like a part of the jam rather than just an audience to a show.
Musicianship: It is safe to say the band was dialed. They each showed in their right phenomenal touch and tastefulness. Each solo was well thought through, had an arc, and demonstrated excellent dynamic control. The pocket/groove was tighter than my middle school Junior Jazz slacks from American Apparel (RIP). Also, without trying to be too corny, they had a lot of trust in each other and the arrangements of the tunes. I would be remiss if I didn’t add that Emma’s tone was wonderful.
Set: The band kept the set for around an hour with minimal chat between songs. This is a personal preference and perhaps a lukewarm take… but I am a massive fan of shows in that time range. The band was thankful and won the crowd over when they hinted at a new album in 2024. They played all the classics and even sprinkled in an unreleased track. My favorite track was Billie Toppie (in their encore). Bonus points for playing at both 5:00 PM and 9:00 PM.
Sound: Major kudos to the engineer who worked on this show. The overall volume and mix of the band were tight, brilliant, and the snare drum didn’t make me want to rip out my ears. Every instrument sat where it needed to and Emma’s vocals were able to delicately (yet powerfully) ride the dense and supportive sound of the other instruments.
Visuals: The band used two large lights that ran along the stage on a track. The lights cast bold and hypnotic shadows on a large white canvas behind them. The lighting throughout the show covered a wide palette while keeping a sultry aesthetic that paired excellently with their musical prose.
Random Notes: One of the best crowd experiences I’ve had in Los Angeles. Less phone usage, and more enthusiastic movement and cheering than usual. The guitarist’s Gibson SG and pedal combo was unreal.
You should see Men I Trust.
I went with one of my best friends. He’s never listened to them before. It took him less than one song to stank face and immerse himself into their infectious sound. I will see them again when they come back. Seriously, go. I’m going to give them a (4.75/5.0). A class act. The .25 deduction comes from the music hater inside of me that I’ll never be able to fully suppress. Also, the beer was $20 for 16oz… Which is heinous. But makes it that much more of a classic LA show.