While many music fans were glued to their couches on Sunday night watching the coolest-in-a-long-time Grammy Awards broadcast, a sold-out crowd filled the Bowery Ballroom to see MINKS, Abe Vigoda, and primarily, Wild Nothing.
L.A.’s Abe Vigoda hit the stage around 10pm, playing enthusiastically and graciously. Their live set demonstrated how the band’s sound has developed over the past few years – going from what was more of a noisey punk blend on 2008’s Skeleton to what now includes of a dancey sensibility on their more recent songs.
The appropriate pre-Valentines vibe offered by a Wild Nothing concert was answered by their dreamy set. Jack Tatum & co. played most of last year’s debut album, Gemini, including favorites like “My Angel Lonely” and “Live in Dreams.” Wild Nothing’s live shows are mellow, and Tatum remains shy on stage, but the performances offer new depth to the gentleness of their recordings – something that helped to generate tons of buzz for the band during CMJ 2010. A very rich and developed version of “The Witching Hour,” as well as a Primal Scream cover helped to impress the shoegazey audience, who left satisfied knowing that the band will likely be very indie-famous sooner or later.
Sooner.