A Collective Sound Bath

Photographs By Nikki Neumann

Written By Jess Pilligua

Psychedelic legends the Osees play to a sold out crowd at the Los Angeles venue, Permanent Records Roadhouse. Reckless Correspondent Jess Pilligua reminisces about the night of records, a human washing machine, and soul cleansing. Documented by Nikki Neumann.

Los Angeles, USA

It was a mostly quiet Thursday night in the Cypress Park neighborhood in Los Angeles. The air was cool and the feeling of rain was near. My friend, photographer Nikki Neumann, and I walked down Cypress Avenue toward our local drinking and music establishment, where the legendary band the Osees were set to play. Just like the rain was about to cleanse the Earth, we were looking forward to the Osees cleansing our souls.

We walked through the doors of the Permanent Records Roadhouse ( usually just calling it the Roadhouse), a record store/bar/ venue combination, where the signature red lighting welcomed us into a lively room where the crowd and their chatter provided a soundtrack of the night. Nikki and I headed to the outside patio and to the back, where the stand-alone record shop beckoned. Just like my first time digging through those record crates, I was still hooked. If you are familiar with digging for records (or thrifting), you will know the joy of finding a gem in the stack of records before you. Bargain bins? Check. Latest releases? Check.

For the audiophiles amongst us, the sounds of your surroundings truly shape one’s life. The show on this particular Thursday quietly spoke about the community linked to the Roadhouse. I could go on to describe the night for you, but if you know the Osees ( The Oh Sees, Thee Oh Sees, and Oh Sees… ), you might already know what their show can be like.

Let’s just say, a human washing machine of rhythmic bodies being driven by the band to tap into your reptilian brain would move you in more ways than one. As the Osees played, the crowd was immersed in a collective sound bath, bodies swaying and sweat baptizing those standing upfront. We were cleansed.

Being able to experience the Osees in the Roadhouse home is akin to the intimacy of watching friends play in your basement, but of course, we are now talking high-quality sound engineers behind the board and the vibes of a non-pretentious crowd. Thank you to the band and thank you to the Roadhouse for another stellar night on the books.

If you don’t already know this venue, now you do. Check out the Permanent Records ( and Roadhouse ) website and Instagram to find out for yourself.