Japandroids’ David Prowse stimulated crowds with fierce, solid beats and backup vocals.
Canadian rock duo, Japandroids, blew fans away with their hotly anticipated return to Austin for Sound on Sound Festival this past Saturday.
By Alicia Armijo
Japandroids and Cloud Nothings were both on the ticket for Margin Walker’s second installment of the eclectic, medieval-themed revelry that is Sound on Sound Fest. Festival organizers pulled off the unthinkable,recovering many of the acts that were scheduled to perform at the festival with make-up shows at venues across the greater Austin area. While many festival-goers may have missed out on the quintessential “festival experience,” it seems that many more fans were able to target particular shows of interest to procure the most meaningful and intimate musical experiences possible. This was certainly the case for rock and roll fans at Emo’s on Saturday.
Dylan Baldi, singer-songwriter extraordinaire, founded Cloud Nothings in 2009.
Cleveland-based artists, Cloud Nothings, warmed up Emo’s with a heavy dose of new age rock and roll. Amidst heavy strobe and ambient lights, this four-piece outfit had a packed venue moving to their robust, torrential rhythms. In fact, many fans found themselves caught up in unexpected mosh-pits that formed near the front of the stage. While their music may not call for such violent movement, many fans had a “to each their own” attitude towards the unforeseen and somewhat comical chaos that surrounded them. Cloud Nothings certainly left the crowd primed and ready to rock for the headliner of the night.
After their long and mysterious disappearance from the music scene, Japandroids have emerged with a third full-length album and strong support from devoted fans. The band received critical acclaim for their debut album, “Post-Nothing,” in 2009 and inexplicably went off the radar after growing success following their second album, “Celebration Rock,” in 2012. For many years, fans assumed that they must have disbanded. After speculating furiously, many encouraged their return on social media. Despite their disbanded status, fans still spread the word about Japandroids in their absence. In fact, I was first introduced to the rock duo earlier this year under the pretense that the band was not going to make my musical taste any more relevant as the band was no longer thriving in the music scene. To the delight of many fans, the band made an unexpected return earlier this year with a ripened sound and a short tour hitting a few choice cities.
As Brian King and David Prowse of Japandroids took the stage to the welcome screams of their eager fans, they dove straight into the title track of their newest album, “Near to the Wild Heart of Life.” The new album has been described by Pitchfork as “like Jenga” in its ability to be always “threatening to topple over.” While the new album has provided fans with a much needed dose of the familiar spirit of previous albums, they offer an album that is constantly pushing the limits of their already ambitious creations. While some may find themselves questioning this development and perhaps anxiety-induced aspiration of the new album, it’s also important to keep some perspective on what the band can realize on the whole. It’s truly incredible the diversity of sound that can come from just two men and an absurd collection of pedals!
Throughout Japandroids’ set, fans could be found screaming along to familiar tunes and crowd surfing above the concentrated madness toward the stage at Emo’s. The band encouraged the mania while also intermittently interjecting between songs to address their fans with notable matters. In particular, the band encouraged their audience to make donations to the funding that they are continuing to collect for Planned Parenthood since their last show in Austin earlier this year at the Mohawk, which benefited the organization.
Complementing their philanthropic efforts and an interweaving set of their three full-length LPs, Japandroids brought lead vocalist, Dylan Baldi, from Cloud Nothings back onto the stage to perform a moving Dead Moon cover with them. Dead Moon’s lead singer, Fred Cole, had just passed away days before the show and Japandroids honored the band and its inspiration for them by performing this commemorative cover. Lead singer, Brian King, expressed their continued support for Dead Moon’s music as he declared that their music would remain alive as long as they are alive.
As the night came to a close, Japandroids emphasized that their final song of the night would be a celebration song. They then lightheartedly asked if the crowd was ready for it. To adoring screams, Japandroids closed the night with a play of “The House That Heaven Built” from their second album, “Celebration Rock.” This closing sing-along pulled fans, new and old, toward a subversive yet communal center fixed on the demand to love and live life fully.
