It is getting damn hot here in Austin. As a result of the rising humidity and steamy conditions here at the Levi’s/FADER Trading Post, Birdmonster was by far the sweatiest band to take the stage yet. This San Francisco area group got the crowd ready to rock after the soothing sounds of Jose Gonzalez got us all just a bit mellow.
Never having heard the band before, I pretty much knew what to expect when I noticed the drummer’s t-shirt was for At The Drive In. The band’s intricate instrumental passages colliding with screaming, angst-filled rock made for a really cool live sound.
In doing a little research on the band, I have read several comparisons to Modest Mouse. Yeah, I can see that in the diversity of their songs, but the Mouse never rocked this hard. Vocalist Peter Arcuni and guitarist David Klein showed some killer onstage theatrics, nearly colliding as they got their full-blown rock on. I dig the rock, but I enjoyed their random stylistic changes even more, keeping the crowd on their toes. Alternating from college indie rock to angular guitar pop to hints of country, these dudes were all over the place.
Birdmonster was a pleasant surprise here in Austin. Keep these guys on your radar, as I’ve got a hunch that they are going places.
