I saw Bethany Cosentino perform four years ago. She showed up in an oversized Sublime t-shirt with no pants looking like she just crawled out of bed. Fans of her band Best Coast were worried about her. Thankfully, Cosentino has recently turned her life around. Her new mantra Always Tomorrow was lit up in neon at the back of the stage. It’s the title of Best Coast’s first album in five years. The material mainly deals with Cosentino’s newfound sobriety.

This time Cosentino stepped on the stage in a pantsuit. She informed the mile-high crowd that Denver was her second favorite city. When she was in her first favorite city of Los Angeles, she voted for Bernie Sanders and hoped that the crowd did too. That’s when they launched into The Only Place – “Why would you live anywhere else? / We’ve got the ocean, got the babes/ Got the sun, we’ve got the waves/ This is the only pace for me.” A few songs later a member of the audience handed her a Bernie sticker that Cosentino immediately placed on her water bottle. The serenity Cosentino found after her drinking stopped was evident when the band played the new single Everything Has Changed – “I used to drink/ Nothing but water and whiskey/ Now I think/ Those were the reasons why/ I used to fall/ Deep down is a hole.”

The quiet guitar wizard Bobb Bruno mainly stayed on the side on the stage wearing an Ozzy Osbourne t-shirt with a fan blowing his long flowing hair. Cosentino proudly introduced the track Graceless Kids giving Bruno full credit. He sent the song to Cosentino when she had writer’s block. His masterful guitar playing was the backbone of the band throughout the night.

The encore consisted of two Best Coast staples. The song When I’m With You propelled the crowd into a state of pure joy the moment the rapid-fire chorus started. Next, Cosentino asked a couple near the stage if they were together. As soon as they nodded yes, she sang the hit Boyfriend directly to them.

The following week Best Coast postponed their tour due to the coronavirus. When the band takes the stage again, the audience will bask in the glory of music about Los Angeles, self-care, and boyfriends. Remember there’s Always Tomorrow.

The night started with a band named Mannequin Pussy. Their latest release was listed among Nation Public Radio’s top fifteen albums of 2019. The Philadelphia quartet had an enthusiastic fan base. Almost everyone standing near the stage was wearing the band’s name on their t-shirt or denim jackets (one had a depiction of Dolly Parton giving the finger). It sure takes guts to have that displayed on your clothing.

Marisa Dabice, former Denver resident and lead singer of Mannequin Pussy, appeared in a low-cut tank-top with orange and black tiger striped pants. Bass player Colins Rey Regisford went for a different fashion choice with a t-shirt covered with pugs. Dabice introduced the song Drunk II by confessing it was about calling her boyfriend when she was drinking (except she forgot that they have broken up). The music went from a whisper to a powerful explosion of energy when they performed the track Romance, Dabice explained to the crowd, “With all the pain in the world, everyone needs a place to scream. And this is our place to do it.”

See you at the next show. I am hopeful it will be soon.