MR Fest Artist Profile: La Luz

By Janelle Abad
Local Music Director

With the literal Spanish translation of “the light,” Seattle, WA based quartet La Luz is due to shed the surf rock light on the city of San Marcos for this year’s MR Fest.

Founded in 2012, the Hardly Art Records act is now on tour in support of their sophomore LP release, Weirdo Shrine. The album marks the start of the use of fuzz on front woman Shana Cleveland’s guitar, introduced by Ty Segall, who produced the record.

La Luz defies the happy-go-lucky, summer sunshine in southern California stigma that comes with surf rock and introduces the underlying darkness within the label that peeks through the Pacific Northwest’s grey skies. The talent among the women has received praise from Pitchfork, noting that “the band members will crowd surf and request the audience make space for a line dance a la ‘Soul Train.'”

Catch La Luz light up the headlining stage at the Marc at this year’s MR Fest.