After a holiday weekend packed with big festivals with big corporate sponsorships (not that there's anything wrong with that), it was completely refreshing to step outside on a warm September weeknight to check out two bands that just bash it out for the hell of it. Lo & Behold Records and Books on Jos Campau in Hamtramck has recently become a haven for local and touring DIY indie acts, hosting weekly in-store live shows. It's a small, eclectic shop that is both timeless and humble. On Tuesday night, a few dozen scenesters and the few odd on-lookers gathered outdoors for an inpromtu post-punk surf pop festival.
Local indie-pop darlings Swimsuit shared the bill with their friends from Memphis, Toxie. Plucking and popping on borrowed gear, Swimsuit somewhat awkwardly rolled through an upbeat set of garage-y favorites form their eponymous LP. As the crowd warmed to the situation, the band opened up a bit, and finished the set with a couple of stronger numbers.
Toxie (Goner Records) is like the bizarro world version of Swimsuit, kindred spirits that seem to mirror in texture and aesthetic. However, the Memphis quartet plays harder with a little more worldly swagger. They play a catchy mix of reverbed-out post pop gems and aren't afraid to get a little heavy. Hitting the sweetspot about halfway through the set, tunes like "Newgate" and "Rabbit" punched through the thick evening air and elicted the most love from the crowd. Toxie closed out with a couple Suburban Lawns covers and everyone went home happy (especially the guy who stole Rebecca's SunChips).
Do yourself a favor and check out Toxie,
here.
And head over to Lo & Behold
here.
*Photos by RebeccaMich*
