The trendy crowd – most of who were dressed in oxford shoes, plaid long sleeves and rolled up pants – walked up to a hefty, ID-checking bouncer in the back alley of the Echoplex. Inside the pitch-black venue, George Sarah and his string trio lit up the stage and welcomed the crowd with an electronica, emo, classical tune, which meant the whole shebang: violin, viola, cello, keyboard and DJ equipment.The strum of an acoustic guitar unraveled the second performance. Alexa Wilding, a newbie to the West Coast, swayed like a ballerina in a black lace dress and patent leather booties as she sang her getting-into-trouble narrations. Her set consisted of many visual, experimental and freestyle songs.

The gathered crowd looked pensive with their hands placed underneath their chins. As Wilding’s songs concluded, they applauded. As the show progressed, the cheers got louder. Alas, like a novel, her stint came to an end as the stage lights dimmed and made way for the much-awaited band of the night, Au Revoir Simone.