LOS ANGELES, CA- Holy cow. Iress was f*ing phenomenal at this gig. Specifically, Iress’ lead singer, Michelle Malley, blew me away.

I’m not quite sure what it was this time around. I’ve seen Iress perform before (at the Echo), and I’ve always loved their heavy haunted sound, but Michelle’s vocals were simply flawless this evening. Perhaps it was the high ceilings and mirrored walls of the barbershop, but her voice was powerful and piercing through and through. Every line was drenched with a weight of emotion that literally had me holding my own breath at times. They may describe their music as “doom-gaze”, but I couldn’t have felt more in heaven than listening to Michelle sing.

Their performance could have been derailed early on when their lead guitarist’s (Alex Moreno’s) guitar strap, broke during a song (during which she played her axe vertically on her knees). But with the help of some duct tape, the crisis was averted.

To close their set, Michelle stepped off the stage and into the crowd to sing. She parted the crowd like it was the Red Sea, and all eyes were affixed on her wailing away, emoting with all she had. I’m sure all of the hairs on the floor of the room (remember we were in a barbershop) were standing in awe at attention.