Windwaker Bring the Hounds of the Underground Tour to the Teragram Ballroom

The Hounds of the Underground Tour rolled into the Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles on May 23, and it turned into one of those nights where every band on the bill brought something different to the table. Windwaker headlined, with Colorblind and If Not For Me setting the tone, and the whole room stayed locked in from the first note to the last.

Colorblind

Colorblind doesn't feel like a band that demands your attention all at once. They pull you in gradually. A melody here. A swell there. Something atmospheric settling in before the full weight of it reveals itself. That slow build is part of what makes them so compelling. There's emotion all through their sound, but it never feels limp or overly delicate. It has shape to it. Tension. Enough heaviness underneath to keep everything from floating away. By the time their set really opened up, it felt less like watching a performance and more like getting caught inside of something moody and all-consuming.

If Not For Me

Some bands lean so far into heaviness that the melody gets buried. If Not For Me knows better than that. What makes them stand out is how cleanly they let both sides exist at once. The weight is there, the hooks are there, and neither one feels like an afterthought. Their set had that kind of immediate grip to it, the kind that makes a room pay attention almost on instinct. There's confidence in the way they carry themselves, but not arrogance. Just a band that understands exactly how to make impact feel memorable instead of disposable.

Windwaker

Dive into the Superstitious Fantasy that is Windwaker. Trying to pin them down to one lane almost feels pointless. That's part of the appeal. They play with contrast so naturally that the sharp turns in their sound never feel jarring. It's just reckless enough to be exciting and just controlled enough to keep from spinning out. One minute there's swagger. Next, there's aggression. Then suddenly something slick and melodic cuts through it all. Their set had the kind of unpredictability that keeps a crowd locked in because comfort clearly isn't the goal. Personality is. Movement is. Making sure the night never settles for too long into anything expected.

All photos by Malika M..