MOKB Presents put together a hell-a-good indie pop buffet Tuesday night at Radio Radio. We get our share of top-notch shows around here these days, but this was a great example of a killer double-bill that benefited from the dual headliners. Alone, both Miniature Tigers and Bear Hands would have been a decent draw; together it had buzz.
Brooklyn’s Total Slacker opened the show with a short set of in-your-face, 90s era punk noise. Though I appreciated the live-wire energy they brought to the stage, they were an unusual choice as a lead-in for Miniature Tigers 80s-influenced pop. The crowd, anticipating the more danceable tunes to come, seemed to be disengaged.
The crowd came alive, however, for the Tigers. With a new album set for release in May, the band was energized at mixing in fresh tracks like Used to be the Shit with favorites such as Boomerang and Sex on the Regular. Lead singer Charlie Brand was active, even walking through the audience during one song. The rest of the band had a similar manic energy. Bass player Brandon Lee kept his instrument pointed skyward most of the night as though he was partaking in a session of star target practice. The band gave and the crowd responded.
Bear Hands was the big draw of the night. Since they started playing Indy back in 2011 — I recall a show to about 50 people that year at Sun King Brewery — the band has steadily built a devoted following in the circle city. With their sensational new album, Distraction, they’ve elevated their game. New songs like Giants, Agora, and Bone Digger are irresistible gems, while tracks like Moment of Silence and Thought Wrong display a new level of depth. It says something when a stand-out cut like Crime Pays from 2010′s Burning Bush Supper Club seems pedestrian compared to the new stuff. Lead singer Dylan Rau has a vocal delivery that’s part Beastie Boy and part Britt Daniel, giving the songs a startling immediacy.
A great way to spend a Tuesday night. Were you there? What did you think of the show?