I caught Islands in an open courtyard for some sweet, quirky pop goodness. They ended their set with a brilliant cover of Sinead O’Connor, making me wonder, could they be any more endearing?
Afterwards, I went down to the Austin Music Hall to catch Yo La Tengo. I got there just in time to hear the last half-hour set from The Whigs, who were INCREDIBLE. I had never heard them before, but after a couple songs their insane energy got the better of me, and suddenly I’m a convert. (Click ‘more’ for more video after the jump)
After the set, the 4,400-capacity venue started filling up, and when Yo La Tengo took the stage, they owned it. It was a total Smattering of Scintillating Senescent Songs. In fact, most of their set comprised old favorites. By far, the best part of the set was when the songs eventually disenegrated into pummeling noise.
I ended the night with Times New Viking in Soho Lounge. The stage was set on the second level of the venue, and throughout the performance the floor shook violently. A little scary, actually. The set was loud and perfect, and definitely lived up to the hype.
