7/27 Stellastarr* @ The Parish
Monday nights aren’t usually highly-anticipated in the Austin music scene, unless a touring band is making a stop in town. Last Monday, the 27th, The Parish hosted a stop on Stellastar’s album release tour. The New York quartet just released their third album, Civilized, the first release in over 3 years. Expectations were high for this show and Stellastarr didn’t disappoint. The same can’t be said for the opening acts, but overall it was a very good Monday night in Austin. Follow the jump to read more and see some fancy pics.
Austin shoegazers Experimental Aircraft were the first to take the stage. While the music featured interesting dual vocals and some heavy basslines, it was tough to get over the awkward stage presence of the group. A couple minutes of silence would go by between songs, only punctuated by nervous banter by the guitarist. At least he joked he’d be “taking a class on rock and roll talk”. It was just odd enough to detract from the otherwise ethereal, effects-heavy set. Experimental Aircraft have potential as a moody art band, but it was not fully realized at The Parish. Or, to write the way music bloggers tend to: Experimental Aircraft never took flight and should have stayed in the hanger.
The crowd started to fill in a bit more as Wild Light began their set. The performance was more polished and energetic, with the band members swapping instruments frequently. Wild Light has reached modest success with their single “California on my Mind” and currently has a heavy tour schedule with stellastarr*, The Wallflowers, and then Bell X1. Despite the success, their lyrics and instrumentation seemed bland. The music is hook-laden but when you dig deeper, there isn’t much more there. The post-punk boy rock is entertaining but there isn’t a whole lot to latch on to.
Before you start to think this whole show report is negative and critical, let this be said: Stellastarr was fantastic. The Parish was packed, and for good reason. Stellastar combines straightforward indie rock with art pop flair and a high energy stage presence. Singer Shawn Christensen used the ample stage space to his advantage; nothing about this band is static. They showed a good deal of diversity through the set, Fans were singing the songs back to the band and demanded an encore, one Stellastarr was quick to provide. Be on the lookout when they come back to Austin; this is a band worth seeing again.