As bands grow, their music almost always evolves and changes. For some bands, this evolution can be a great thing, with fans staying along for the ride and enjoying the journey. For others, it can be divisive, with fans taking sides—only liking certain periods of a band’s career and feeling upset when bands choose to focus on specific eras of their music during live performances. Aesthetic Perfection can sometimes fall into this category, as their music has evolved and changed significantly over the years. However, Daniel Graves decided to give back to his fans with an Old School Electronic Tour, featuring songs released only before 2011. The tour ended with a hometown show at The Paramount in Los Angeles, CA, with support from Nyxx and genCAB. Fans lined up around the block, eager to hear some of Aesthetic Perfection’s classics.

Opening the show was genCAB (short for Generation Cable). I first saw them a couple of years ago, opening for Aesthetic Perfection on their last U.S. tour. The band is comprised of former Aesthetic Perfection members, with David Dutton on vocals and keyboards and Tim Van Horn filling in on drums for this show. This was my second time seeing Dutton as the frontman of his own band, and I could see how much his stage presence has evolved. He played up to the audience more, strutting around the stage when not tied to his keyboard. Dutton puts his whole body into his performance, and Van Horn matches that energy on drums. Using a smaller electronic kit with a drum pad, Van Horn programmed powerful hits and sounds, adding flair and intensity to the music.

genCAB captivated the crowd, even those unfamiliar with their music, with songs like “Of Love & Death,” “Cake,” “Six Hits,” “Seafoam Cemetery,” “Siren Song,” “Another Glass Eye,” and “Channel the Past.” They’ve been gaining traction in the industrial scene, and I highly recommend checking them out when they come to a venue near you.

Up next was Nyxx, a solo artist I first discovered when I saw Aesthetic Perfection live in 2017. I became an instant fan, and it’s been a pleasure watching her music evolve over the years—from her industrial pop beginnings to the heavy, hard-hitting songs she’s releasing now. Her set showcased the best of both styles.

Kicking off with “Gun,” Nyxx set the tone for the rest of her performance. The song fused a dance beat with a haunting melody, and her seductive vocals carried a false sense of security, masking a more sinister message. She also performed duet songs like “Body Count” and “Voodoo,” handling them perfectly without her co-singer. Many fans, myself included, were hoping Daniel Graves would join her for “Voodoo,” but alas, it didn’t happen.

Nyxx maintained her seductive energy throughout the set, dancing and performing for the crowd while singing about female empowerment with songs like “Nightmare,” “FERAL,” “Salt,” “Pussy Liquor,” and ending with “Crown.” Having covered her first headlining tour last year, I can’t wait to see her return to the stage as a headliner again, especially as she continues to build her fan base with new, hard-hitting tracks.

Finally, it was time for the old-school electronic set with a classic Aesthetic Perfection lineup. Daniel Graves hit the stage in a more traditional industrial goth look, complete with his signature dripping football eye black. This was the Daniel many fans, including myself, first discovered, and while I’ve enjoyed the evolution of his stage persona, seeing this version of him again felt nostalgic and comforting.

Kicking off with “The Great Depression,” Daniel was a ball of energy, running and jumping across the stage as the crowd fed that energy right back to him. The Paramount transformed into a late-night goth club, with fans dancing in the back of the room. You could see in Daniel’s eyes how much he enjoyed seeing the crowd’s excitement as they heard these songs live again.

The setlist was packed with fan favorites, including “Schadenfreude,” “Fix,” “Architect,” “Pale,” “The Siren,” “Beautiful,” “I Belong to You,” “My Master,” “Blood Runs Cold,” and “Coward.”

For this special old-school set, Daniel was joined by his former bandmate David Dutton on keyboards. Unlike his energetic performance with genCAB, Dutton was more reserved, letting Daniel shine as the star of the show. As a surprise, Tim Van Horn joined the band for the encore, adding even more nostalgia and joy to the night. With Tim on drums, the final songs—“The Dark Half,” “Inhuman,” and “Spit It Out”—were electrifying, even sparking a mosh pit.

As the final song ended, Daniel looked out at the crowd, seeing fans singing, cheering, dancing, and moshing. He couldn’t help but get choked up as he thanked everyone for coming to this special hometown show.

Thank you to Aesthetic Perfection for being willing to do a throwback set. It transported so many of us back to our younger days, when we were just discovering the industrial and gothic scenes, and these songs were staples in every club. Talking with Daniel after the show, it’s clear this tour has revitalized his passion for making music. I can’t wait to see where this renewed love for his older material takes him creatively with his new songs. Whatever comes next, I’m confident Aesthetic Perfection will continue to deliver industrial pop greatness.