Tears For Fears perform at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
This past weekend saw the inaugural edition of the Darker Waves festival take over Huntington Beach in Southern California, with New Order and Tears For Fears headlining what seemed like a late-fall answer to the Cruel World festival — but on the sand instead of a golf course.
For those who couldn’t make it — or anyone who was there and wants to relive Saturday’s concert, or just get a better view — we’ve got photos of the headliners’ performances, plus Echo and the Bunnymen, Devo, The Human League, OMD, Violent Femmes and The English Beat, all via ace concert photographer Jason Zinn.
Check out those fresh images below:
New Order
New Order performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
New Order performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
New Order performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
New Order performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
New Order performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
Tears For Fears
Tears For Fears perform at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
Tears For Fears perform at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
Tears For Fears perform at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
Tears For Fears perform at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
Tears For Fears perform at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
Echo and the Bunnymen
Echo and the Bunnymen performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
Echo and the Bunnymen performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
Echo and the Bunnymen performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
Echo and the Bunnymen performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
Echo and the Bunnymen performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
Devo
Devo performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
Devo performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
Devo performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
Devo performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
Devo performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
The Human League
The Human League performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
The Human League performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
The Human League performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
The Human League performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
The Human League performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
OMD performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
OMD performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
OMD performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
OMD performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
OMD performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes perform at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
Violent Femmes perform at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
Violent Femmes perform at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
Violent Femmes perform at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
Violent Femmes perform at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
The English Beat
The English Beat performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
The English Beat performs at Darker Waves | Photo by Jason Zinn, @thrillsonfilm
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Photos: Love and Rockets opens its tour-ending 3-night stand in Los Angeles
- Photos: The Sisters of Mercy bring their first U.S. tour in 15 years to Hollywood
- Photos: The Cure bring their “Songs of a Lost World” to the iconic Hollywood Bowl
- Photos: Siouxsie dazzles Cruel World 2023 with first U.S. performance in 15 years
- Photos: Love and Rockets reborn with first performance in 15 years at Cruel World
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Human League, OMD, Violent Femmes and Tears for Fears. Echo and the Bunnyman tried but lead singer with laryngitis is not good but he got better.
Soft cell was about as good as the bathrooms!
Ian McCulloch.
OMD was amazing, as usual, though I would have liked to hear a song or two from their brilliant new album Bauhaus Staircase. New Order was fantastic. Could only hear Tears from a distance, but they sounded perfect. They played 5 songs off their astounding new album, though I get a feeling the audience only wanted their hits. Devo was very good, but maybe a little too loud for them. As for the newer bands, Blossoms was just wonderful.
Interesting and nostalgic throwback of bands but for the life of me, the “Darker Waves” moniker is not what I would title this line up whatsoever. B52’s, Human League, OMD and DEVO? For many nostalgia listeners, these groups all had a legendary impact on accessible “alternative” music but “dark,” they were not. Am I missing something completely? Contrary, they were a wave but of the New Romantic caliber, sort of.
If we’re talking about the pre-curser to what we now call Dark Wave in contemporary times, back then, they were bands like, Psychic TV, Theill Kill Cult, Ministry, REVCO, Depeche Mode, The Smiths, The Cure, Skinny Puppy, Yello, etc, etc.
Thank you for saying this. You are absolutely correct. Most of what was listed in this article was on one single stage. The Darker Wave stage had some bands that fit the moniker better: Clan of Xymox, Molchat Doma, even the Chameleons are a bet fit than Devo, B52s, or OMD. One of the absolute stand outs of the day were Urban Heat from Austin, Texas. They went on first, and early, on the smallest stage. Amazing stage energy, especially from the front man. Were they Dark Wave? Definitely influences of it and lyrically a match.
I am a local that watched from the shoreline without paying or entering the temporary venue. I was impressed with the stage set up pointing towards the ocean. Some locals are not happy with most of the events where you must pay to enter a restricted area. The beach is either city or state property and limited access for pay only events is controversial. Darker Waves was better than other pay events as they were located a short walk from the Huntington Beach pier but didn’t interfere with other activities that are free to the public. Overall it was a good concert that should continue provided it doesn’t out grow the location. Parking is not sufficient in Huntington Beach to accommodate more than 20,000 visitos at one time.
OMD played a full set the following night (Sunday night) just a few miles away at Anaheim House of Blues. Sold out show, with a high-energy crowd. Top level performance!
Did the Bunnymen play a complete set?I’ve given upon seeing Mac in any live setting because there was a string of shows where he either didn’t finish or was just incoherent. Beyond that, they went from functioning band to total nostalgia act after Meteorites.