[soundheroff-blog]

Miike Snow, the trio responsible for the hit single “Animal” and creepier, more intense songs like “Cult Logic” are back with a new album, and it doesn’t disappoint. iii features the absolutely infectious “Genghis Khan”, a track that could spin sixty times in a row without you ever growing tired of it. It’s Miike Snow at their very best, and while they’ve stayed true to their electro-pop roots, they’ve found solid ground in slower beats and even some hip-hop as well. “For U” featuring Charli XCX is a jagged, jittery anthem (like a firefly on cocaine, if you will) but the song directly after it, “I Feel the Weight”, is probably the closest the band will ever come to a ballad. It feels raw and honest, even reminiscent of Snow Patrol’s “Make This Go On Forever”. That’s quite a feat for a group that relies heavily on computer-generated instrumentals and vocal layering. 

Even still, the entire album is classic Miike Snow, and die-hard fans will devour it with glee. It’s easygoing without being too weak but it offers enough variety to keep things interesting. Pigeonholing them would be impossible; they bring too many different elements to the table. Lyrics like “I don’t wanna burst your bubble / But the world is toil and trouble” (”Back of the Car”) and “I’m an old man now, look at me / Just go, go on and forget me” (”Longshot”) run counter to the starry-eyed love songs that pepper the rest of the record. Indeed, it seems like they left no territory uncharted this time around - even the closing track is a Run the Jewels remix that introduces an unprecedented rap element. Miike Snow have a unique creative vision and an even tighter execution, and they kill it every time. iii is the product of three artists whose sharp focus is what makes us so lucky to have them on the alternative scene. 

[soundheroff-blog]

New York band Sunflower Bean rocked the Bowery Ballroom on Thursday night, playing loud and hard to an enthusiastic sold-out crowd. Opening with “Human Ceremony”, they wasted no time matching powerful drums with fuzzed-out guitar riffs. Singer Julia Cumming’s throaty voice seemed to melt over the instrumentals in a way that was more forgettable than satisfying. No song stood out as a real single or a hit, and it was impossible to feel truly moved by their performance. Nevertheless, a mosh pit ensued, which Cumming took full advantage of when she stepped right off the stage and into the throes of flying limbs in the middle of the room. By the time they closed with “The Stalker”, guitarist Nick Kivlen had already sprawled out flat on the stage, gotten up again, and pushed over the drum set. The energy Sunflower Bean was able to elicit was undeniable, but it was ephemeral - existing only in the moment, and unable to be recalled once you left the venue.

Opening for the trio was Future Punx and Honduras. The former was a band that used rainbow lights, deep vocals and heavy bass which likened them to the great LCD Soundsystem, and their music was by far the most danceable of the night. Honduras was more similar to Sunflower Bean style-wise: they played aggressively fast and loud, but were unable to inspire much by way of a mosh pit. However, if you were to point to any band as being representative of modern New York punk rock, Honduras would be it. They’re certainly not far off from headlining their own Bowery Ballroom show - they have technical skill, passion, and some damn good songs. In fact, all three bands on the bill deserve props for making a solid rock concert happen, even if the main act left something to be desired. 

[soundheroff-blog]

Unknown Mortal Orchestra played a sold-out concert at Irving Plaza on Friday night, the first of two consecutive ones with Lower Dens serving as the opener. Their sound is slightly electronic yet still mellow, and you may know them best for “To Die in L.A.”, a song that perfectly encapsulates their laid-back vibe. Vocalist Jana Hunter sported a loudly-patterned button-down shirt, which she said she was wearing because it was somebody’s birthday, though she wouldn’t specify whose. This lead to the audience breaking into a rather appropriate song as soon as Unknown Mortal Orchestra walked onto the stage.

From “Like Acid Rain” right down to “Multi-Love”, UMO were a sight to behold. Beautifully colored lights illuminated the band from all angles, and lead singer Ruban Neilson played his guitar with a fierce passion that was enviable. The great thing about UMO is that their music is completely unique. You could say that about any band and be partially right, but with UMO it’s something different altogether. Every single song is near flawless and their low-fi, done-from-scratch sound makes it all the more intoxicating. Irving Plaza allowed the audience to experience that magic way up close: Neilson was able to straddle the gap between the stage and the barricade at a certain point, if that gives you any idea. Their set was short - only thirteen songs including the encore - but there were plenty of extended guitar, drum, and keyboard solos to fill in the gaps. They closed out with “Can’t Keep Checking My Phone”, a dance-worthy tune if UMO ever made one. From top to bottom, this concert was everything you’d want from an indie rock show. The crowd was appreciative, and there’s no doubt they’ll be coming back on Saturday night.

[soundheroff-blog]

Wavves and Best Coast co-headlined a riotous show at New York’s 3,000-capacity venue Terminal 5 on Thursday night. Opening for them was the dramatic Cherry Glazerr, who treated us to fast guitars and plenty of volume. Frontwoman Clementine Creevy wore pinstriped satin pajamas and a mess of shaggy hair, her confidence oozing with each lyric sung. “Had Ten Dollaz” was their opening number, an understated song that breaks into hard rock ‘n’ roll when you least expect it. Each of the band members onstage carried the music with a blazing energy. This was especially true of their drummer, who looked absolutely thrilled to be there and played his instrument with his entire soul. The audience responded with unbridled enthusiasm, and soon the entire floor was a crushing mosh pit, crowd surfers and all. 

Wavves followed Cherry Glazerr’s short set, and the off-the-walls madness that ensued throughout the entire concert definitely peaked during their performance. Opening with “Sail to the Sun” and peppering their lengthy setlist with crowd pleasers such as “Demon to Lean On” and “Way Too Much” was to be expected, but something like “Dog” (which at times veered dangerously into Stooges territory) kept us on our toes. “This song is about aliens; it’s dedicated to Agents Mulder and Scully,” announced Alex Gates before launching into “Heavy Metal Detox”. The band threw silver balloons and blow-up aliens into the crowd, giving the fans even more of a reason to get amped up. Strobe lights flashed as Gates descended into the photo pit to get up close and personal with the front row of the audience. It’s impossible to ignore the kind of response a band like Wavves garners, or rather demands, and it’s mesmerizing to see it in live action. Up until the very last note, they had kids screaming like their lives depended on it.

Finishing up the night was the California-bred Best Coast. Bethany Consentino stepped out in a sparkling catsuit and proceeded to rock out with her golden guitar. “Feeling Ok” and “Boyfriend” were met with the noisiest responses, the latter being performed while Consentino picked apart a bouquet and tossed the flowers into the audience. At times she put her eye-catching guitar down in favor of a star-shaped tambourine. Crowd surfing continued in full force, with security pulling people out well before they made it to the stage. Nobody was safe from the whirlwind of bodies and flying limbs. Then again, nobody seemed to want to be. Their encore consisted of just one song, “Bratty B”, and then the band said goodnight to thousands of sweaty, exhausted, bruised fans. It was a rough night for everyone involved, but to be treated to such stellar performances by all three artists, it was more than worth it. 

[soundheroff-blog]

The concert at The Gramercy Theatre on Thursday night was one of those rare occasions where the opening act was received with as much love as the headliner. Max Frost played a short and sweet thirty-minute set before Grizfolk took the stage, his punchy rhythms and rockabilly swagger keeping the crowd begging for more. Utilizing a drum set, a MacBook, and a bevy of guitars, he managed to create an energy that seemed to swell well beyond the 2,000 square foot floor space. You may know him for the brilliant “White Lies”, a song more than worthy of being called infectious, even more so when performed live. Frost’s voice is powerful and his talent smacks you in the face. He was the perfect opening act for Grizfolk, and it’s no wonder the audience adored him. 

Grizfolk is a five-piece from Los Angeles, and they fleshed out their set with crowd favorites like “The Struggle”, “Troublemaker”, and “Wide Awake”. They even employed some neat rasta-colored lighting for their new song “Bob Marley”. Their sound is jangly and upbeat, and Adam Roth’s vocals are raspy enough to give them a certain edge. They’re a band that encourages a lot of crowd participation, namely in the form of echoed choruses and clapping hands, and everyone was eager to help out. They’re also a band that clearly loves their fans - after their encore they descended into the photo pit to take a picture with the crowd and shake the hands of those in the front row. The night was over before 10:30, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a memorable one. Max Frost and Grizfolk have enough personality and charisma to tickle even the most jaded concertgoer. 

[soundheroff-blog]

Night Knight hail all the way from Athens, Greece, and their single “Set It On Fire” isn’t nearly the kind of death metal you’d expect from looking at the cover of their album, God Is a Motherfucker. Instead, Serafeim Giannakopoulos’s vocals are crystal clear and ring out beautifully over dreamy guitar riffs and rolling drum patterns. The song is easy to fall in love with; there are no harsh edges or trite lyrics to speak of. If you’re unfamiliar with the Greek underground rock scene, it’s a testament to the incredible things that it’s capable of. Night Knight’s record will be released on January 29th (available for preorder here) and if this track is any indication, it’s going to be an easygoing masterpiece disguised in wolf’s clothing.

[soundheroff-blog]

She-Devils are an unlikely duo from Montreal, comprised of Audrey Ann and Kyle Jukka. On Tuesday night they opened up for Majical Cloudz at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, and their performance was boring at best and completely absurd at worst. Audrey’s voice can only be described as monotone, and as she belted such uninspired lyrics as “I wanna go where there’s no one” and “Touching the things that you touch make me feel like I can touch you”, it was clear that writing is not their strong suit - indeed, nothing seemed to be. Even worse was a song titled “Come”, in which Audrey repeated that word endlessly, staring into a sea of thoroughly unexcited faces. Kyle provided noise from his synth pad that was harsh and didn’t seem to flow with his bandmate’s vocals at all, though even if it did it probably wouldn’t have been much help. 

She-Devils definitely bear stylistic resemblance to Majical Cloudz, with no real instruments and a deep voice reciting near poetry. The only difference is that Majical Cloudz’s music is moody and compelling and the lyrics tell an (interesting) story. When Devon Welsh and Matthew Otto walked onstage the room erupted. Welsh has birdlike features and a shaved head that would make him quite the intimidating figure if he dressed more like Otto in all black and heavy boots. Instead he wore New Balances and a button-down shirt and proceeded to address the crowd in what seemed to be an awkward-on-purpose manner. “Hey, we’re a band called Majical Cloudz. We’re gonna play some songs if that’s okay. Okay,” he uttered stiffly, eliciting giggles and yells of encouragement from the crowd. 

The emotional “Childhood’s End” showed off Welsh’s vocal range as he paced the stage clutching the mic in one hand. Otto held down his end of the deal flawlessly, providing the dark, booming instrumentation Majical Cloudz has come to be known for. It was an easy show for the audience to handle on a Tuesday night, and they swayed back and forth, closing their eyes and mouthing the words appreciatively. “Okay, we’re gonna play four more songs. I just wanted to let you know in advance so I wouldn’t have to say ‘Okay, this is the last song,’ and then have it be the last song. So here it is, the fourth last song,” said Welsh before the duo launched into “Bugs Don’t Buzz,” a crowd favorite. Right before the very last song, “Silver Rings”, Welsh returned with his signature awkwardness and said, “Okay, we’re gonna do this one last song and the night will be done. It’s gonna be okay, it’s not the end of the world. Thank you guys for coming out.” It should be noted that at no point did Welsh make the audience uncomfortable; it was his offbeat banter that put them at ease. 

Majical Cloudz are definitely a force to be reckoned with, though you wouldn’t know it from just a cursory glance. Their lyrics deal with themes of desire, death, isolation, and love, all wrapped up and delivered by way of Welsh’s hypnotizing voice. If any Canadian duo deserves your attention, it’s most definitely this one.

[soundheroff-blog]

Lewis Del Mar, the duo from Rockaway Beach, New York, have released their debut EP out today on iTunes and Spotify. From the sharp opening line “Can you please sit the fuck down?” to the feel-good reggae vibes of “Memories”, each song is an example of near musical genius. “Malt Liquor” features complex beats and a captivating hook that will be stuck in your head for days to come. The band has announced a performance in London, and there’s talk of their appearance at the famous SXSW music festival in Texas as well. Get ready for them to steal your heart.

[soundheroff-blog]

The Music Hall of Williamsburg was the place to be on Thursday night for loud, raging music and enough moshing to place more than a few liabilities in the venue’s hands. Big Ups opened the show, and their special brand of screamy punk rock was only exacerbated by frontman Joe Galarraga’s jerky, animated movements and grotesque, deranged faces. The second song they performed was “Goes Black”, which is good recorded but even better live. Regrettably, it’s also far too short, like most of their others - nearly every song on 2013′s Eighteen Hours of Static clocks in at just around two minutes. They also played a few songs from their upcoming LP Before a Million Universes, due out this coming March. At one point Galarraga announced, “This next song is about being forced to wear a turtleneck for school photos, but having so much anxiety about having something on your neck that you throw up,” which gave everyone a good laugh but also made it clear that Big Ups are weird in the kind of way that makes you grateful to be able to experience them. The things they do stand out as memorable, and it was disappointing to see them leave the stage at the end of their set.

Next up was Bully, the Nashville group fronted by blonde-haired Alicia Bognanno. Her voice is raspy but powerful, and the rest of the band laid into their instruments like their lives depended on it. Their performance elicited a raucous response from the crowd, and when they finally launched into “Trying”, all bets were off. Bully’s fanbase is dedicated and the band gives that energy back tenfold. They’ll be playing Governors Ball this year, and there’s no doubt they deserve it. It was obvious that a lot of people up front originally were at the show only for them, because once they were finished, an entirely new sea of faces clustered by the lip of the stage. 

Metz were our grand headliners, and once they came on it was quick descent into crashing drums, loud guitar riffs, barely-discernible lyrics howled into a microphone, and body slamming to an almost unfathomable degree. Their sound is best described as “noise rock”, and although there were only three people onstage, the chaos they managed to create was nothing short of impressive. There was no encore, but we didn’t need one - by the time the last song was over, everyone was sweaty and exhausted, but with giant grins plastered on their faces nevertheless. Seeing vocalist Alex Edkins on his knees, back arched, face turning red from screaming so hard, was an almost transcendent experience. You truly believed in the power of this band and their music. At the end of the day, all a band ever has to do is be convincing. On Thursday night, Metz were able to accomplish just that.

[soundheroff-blog]

Cage the Elephant’s fourth studio album Tell Me I’m Pretty is a step away from 2013′s Melophobia, and two steps further than that from their self-titled 2009 debut. Of course, it’s unfair to expect a band as dynamic as Cage to keep recreating “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked”, no matter how much we may love it. Dynamic as they are, the band has certainly mellowed with age - lyrics such as “They say the devil is my pal, I do a lot of drugs, the crowd will only like me if they’re really fuckin’ drunk” (”In One Ear”) are replaced with “How’s it feel to be a ghost? You’re the one I love the most” (”Sweetie Little Jean”). “Too Late to Say” features lead singer Matt Shultz’s unmistakable twang, though its cutting edge is lost in a rhythm section that’s almost too solidified - everyone seems to be playing the exact same notes at the same time, with no interesting or off-beat patterns or variations. 

“Trouble” takes it slow as well, but it stands out as the best track on the album. “You know what they say, yeah, the wicked get no rest,” gives a wink to the band’s former selves, and while the chorus is sweet and easygoing, it’s catchy enough to want to sing along to. The record oscillates between vaguely acoustic tracks and darker, steadier ones, à la “Punchin’ Bag”, which is the closest the band comes to inspiring the listener to jump up and down, or even bop their head. We close out with “Portuguese Knife Fight”, a song that feels like the kind of classic indie rock only Cage knows how to do. It’s a strong note to end on, and reminds us that Cage the Elephant’s new album isn’t boring per se, it’s just moving at a different speed than their previous endeavors. Diehard fans will likely welcome this change with open arms, and lucky for them, they’ll be able to catch the band on tour in 2016.

[soundheroff-blog]

What went down on Friday night was a mix of intensity, sheer volume, and lots and lots of sweat. Foals played Terminal 5 to a sold-out crowd of 3,000, and the total chaos that ensued was nothing short of incredible. Lead singer Yannis Philippakis is famous for leaping right into the thick of the crowd, and he didn’t disappoint. The room erupted as he hopped the barricade on two separate occasions and even jumped from the second-floor railing. “My Number” was the third song performed and the entire floor seemed to turn into one giant tidal wave, moving back and forth with such weight it’s amazing no one got trampled. Strobe lights flashed as Jack Bevan hit the drums with precision and clarity and guitarist Jimmy Smith rocked out almost as hard as Yannis. Their setlist rounded out all of their albums nicely, paying special attention to their newest release. Not a bad time was to be had throughout the nearly two-hour performance, and they ended strong with “Two Steps, Twice”. 2015 was an incredible year for Foals and this concert made sure New York knew it.

Opening was Circa Waves, another British rock band who kicked things off with the rousing “Young Chasers” and ended with the beloved “T-Shirt Weather”. They were the perfect complement to Foals, energizing and danceable enough to prepare the audience for what was to come. Their music isn’t quite as heavy as one might have expected but they were a treat to see live nonetheless. Lead singer Kieran Shudall has a voice that sounds like it’s coming through on static radio, but its warmth is what takes some of the band’s edge off. It’s not a bad thing, indeed, quite the opposite - Circa Waves have managed to attract a dedicated fan base, some of whom came to Terminal 5 on Friday night only for them. They played to Foals’ crowd like it was their own and they were so genuine they even managed to pull it off.

[soundheroff-blog]

Dead Trains are not a country band, but with references to Louisiana, whiskey, and twangy guitar lines to boot, they’re certainly a band country fans can appreciate. Their upcoming album County Road Bound, slated for a February 2016 release, is fast-paced and drum-heavy, with scattered Americana imagery and a genuine need to be heard. The first song doubles as the title track, and is similar to Blue Skies’ “What’s Wrong?”, only with much grittier vocals. From there we move full speed ahead into “Up Jumped the Devil”, a song that rolls as much as it rumbles, switching tempos more times than it’s possible to count. The Boston trio is decidedly off-beat: their music is good - better than that, even - but perhaps not melodious in a way that lends itself to alt-rock radio. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing; what Dead Trains is doing in terms of guitar-driven sound is a fantastic endeavor. They play with chord structures and bluesy lyrics so the songs feel experimental but not alienating. The first thirty seconds of “Cannonball” are undeniably gorgeous, nothing but a few catchy guitar notes and a steady drum beat to carry it along. “Gasoline” evokes the feeling of singer Matt Axten sneering into the mic, daring us to challenge his words as he delivers them to us up close. 

County Road Bound is a refreshing album, one that grows on you the more you listen to it and solidifies Dead Trains as the indie rock band to keep an eye on in 2016. It’s only seven tracks long but it leaves an indelible impression (and the listener wanting more). Its punchy lyrics, muted vocals and jangling rhythms make for an extremely distinct listening experience, and “Fire Next Time” rounds it all out with a surprising lack of percussion. Instead it really feels as if this song was meant to be performed around the campfire, with only a guitar and the glow of warm heat separating you from the group. It’s in this style that Dead Trains’ music manages to be completely arresting - even without a key element of the band, you can’t help but be wholly engrossed. 

[soundheroff-blog]

Atlas Genius are back with yet another remix, this time of The Kooks’ “Forgive & Forget”. The song is already incredibly upbeat (and sparks an explosive reaction from the crowd whenever the UK rockers perform it live), but Atlas Genius take it to another level, making it less indie rock and more electro-funk. We start out with a slower tempo before moving into decidedly dance floor territory at the :50 mark. With plenty of room to play with synth and futuristic instrumentation, Atlas Genius have given us a fresh spin on one of the best alternative tracks of the past two years. This song and others like it will be featured on The Kooks’ remix album Hello, What’s Your Name? due to be released tomorrow, December 4th. If this particular track is any indication, it’s sure to make fans of The Kooks as well as every other artist featured happy. 

[soundheroff-blog]

Ground Control Touring celebrated its 15th anniversary at Webster Hall on Wednesday night, showcasing nineteen different bands across the venue’s three stages. Hop Along kicked things off in the Grand Ballroom, playing to an already packed room and revving everyone up for the truly incredible bands they were about to witness. Lead singer Frances Quinlan’s voice sounded like it was being dragged over a bed of rocks, harsh and gravelly and vaguely off-putting, but it definitely evoked Joan Jett and fit perfectly with the band’s deliberate presence. Waxahatchee followed, bringing out Superchunk’s Mac McCaughan as well as Hamish Kilgour to cover The Clean’s “Getting Older”. Indeed, the night was full of tributes and covers and guest appearances - Kurt Vile took the stage in the Grand Ballroom alongside Kim Gordon and Steve Gunn to perform a fifteen-minute rendition of The Velvet Underground’s “Sister Ray”. Superchunk came on directly after, and surprisingly enough it was the first time the legendary alt-rockers had played Webster Hall. Their set was easily the best of the night, with dramatic guitar riffs and pulsating energy - needless to say, the crowd went wild. “Hello Hawk” stood out in particular, Mac McCaughan bouncing across the stage in perfect rhythm. 

Downstairs in the Studio (which was packed with eager fans to the point of overflowing), Porches played a brief yet poignant acoustic set, Aaron Maine’s voice reverberating throughout the entire room. The Marlin Room saw a wonderful solo performance by Steve Gunn as well as the folk rock band Woods, the latter of which invited Andrew Savage out for two Neil Young covers and Kurt Vile out for a captivating take on “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”. Wrapping things up was Parquet Courts, who took the stage in the Marlin Room a little past midnight with Lee Ranaldo. They proceeded to cover two Sonic Youth songs, “Mote” and “Eric’s Trip”. The dissonant sound was reminiscent of Parquet Courts’ latest release, Monastic Living, and for those unfamiliar with Sonic Youth the performance could have been quite jarring. But looking around at the delirious grins plastered on everyone’s faces, that didn’t seem to be a problem at all. Happy birthday, Ground Control Touring - this mini-fest was one for the books.

[soundheroff-blog]

Between Constant Nausea and what is presumably another proper full-length to come, Parquet Courts have delivered us Monastic Living, a mini-LP that is, on the surface, thirty minutes of straight noise. The first track, “No, No, No!” is the only one that contains actual lyrics. After that it’s a blend of static, feedback, and caterwauling guitars. From a band that has put out songs as excellent as “Master of My Craft”, this release seems borderline lazy: why did they even bother? To be fair, the New York City four-piece is probably exhausted from releasing two albums in 2014 (Sunbathing Animal being the other one) as well as touring extensively. But if that’s the case, then why Monastic Living exists or why they’re touring behind it as well is anybody’s guess. 

Some tracks are darker than others; “Frog Pond Plop” is harsh while “Poverty and Obedience” is more atmospheric. “Monastic Living II” winds down into soft, steady percussive tapping, and is rhythmic compared to the rest of the album. “Vow of Silence” is more subdued, with stop-and-start static and again, plenty of feedback. The differences in all of these songs is slight and nowhere near interesting enough to keep the listener motivated until the very end, and the record is barely thirty minutes long. “Alms for the Poor” clocks in at a blink-and-you-missed-it forty-five seconds, although maybe it’d be better if you did. Parquet Courts would do well to slow down on the album releases and work on producing dynamic, interesting content, instead of just something with which to fill the silence. 

[soundheroff-blog]

The Wombats fulfilled their own prophecy and moved to New York - but only for a night, playing a show to thousands of eager fans at Terminal 5. Tord Øverland Knudsen ran frantically about, jumping and waving the neck of his bass into what would’ve been the crowd, save for the barricade and thus the wide photo pit. Lead singer Matthew Murphy also stood at the edge of the stage quite often, encouraging the audience to raise their arms and clap along. “I never thought we would play Terminal 5, but now I believe we can play Madison Square Garden,” as he so aptly put it. Their new album Glitterbug was front and center on Tuesday night, which they made clear when they opened with “Give Me a Try”. Their music is the perfect mix of rock and feel-good dance, and rest assured there were no still bodies on the floor that night. The Wombats made everyone in the room feel like it was a Friday night and they had no responsibilities to attend to the next day, especially when they played “Greek Tragedy” and “Let’s Dance to Joy Division” back-to-back during the encore, extending the “We’re so happy” part of the latter. Murphy kept dragging the mic stand to the edge of the stage even though a stagehand had already ran out and moved it back to its original safe spot twice; this kind of subtle commitment to being near your audience is exactly what makes The Wombats so surprisingly special.

Opening band Royal Teeth are a six-piece indie pop act from Louisiana, and the stage did feel sparse when only half that many people walked back out to perform as the main act. Royal Teeth’s lack of sincerity wasn’t made up for in numbers, however - Gary Larsen pounded on his floor tom with such over-the-top enthusiasm you’d think he was being filmed for a reality show. The mile-wide grin never left his face, certainly not even as he descended into the photo pit and leaned against the barricade, grabbing cell phones from fans and filming himself with their cameras. It’s a wonder more people weren’t groaning and rolling their eyes, especially when he stuck his mic stand out and encouraged everyone to sing along to a song nobody knew the words to. Co-vocalist Nora Patterson offered some relief from his embarrassing antics, but not much. Her voice was sweet if little nasally, but her real strike was not being able to hold a note long enough during the more emphatic parts of “Take Me All the Way Up”. 

Fortunately, the very first act to take the stage that night was a band called Pop Etc, and they were much more pleasant to watch. Lead singer Chris Chu has a voice that’s as deep as it is commanding (at least as far as indie music goes) and an extremely charming disposition. They only played five or six songs, the last of which was “Running in Circles”, a steady track that still manages to be tons of fun when performed live. They couldn’t soften the blow of Royal Teeth, but they certainly did The Wombats proud.

[soundheroff-blog]

An indie rock band seemingly has no business covering a hugely famous hip-hop artist like The Weeknd, but that didn’t stop Atlas Genius. Putting their own spin on the hit song “The Hills”, they’ve created a guitar-driven version that’s somehow even more buzz-worthy than you would expect. Keith Jeffery’s vocals strip the track of its original paranoid, electronic feel and replaces it with the easy groove and catchiness of any Atlas Genius song. It’s still a little jarring to hear the line “I just fucked two bitches ‘fore I saw you” coming from a very non-edgy Australian band, though it’s the only time the song feels forced. Otherwise, we’re met with an enthralling blend of synth and drums that shows off Atlas Genius’s creative range and makes an artist like The Weeknd accessible to any alternative rock fan.