Built to Spill has been pretty quiet for the past few years in terms of releasing new matieral, but hasn’t given up touring as the band has made their way through Austin at least once in the past two years. Even in the unexpectedly freezing temperatures that descended on Austin last weekend, stalwart fans showed up to Stubb’s to huddle together for a little warmth as a solid bill of bands took the stage.
Doug Martsch remains stoic onstage; he carries the energy of a guitar hero zen master. Often his eyes are closed and he appears immersed in the sounds of his ambling solos. At other times, he drifts off into what seems a spacey trance. Just when you think he couldn’t care less about being on stage, he grins widely as a song ends and thanks the audience, proving that his somberness is a reflection of focus and emotion rather than a lack thereof. The simple fact is this: Built to Spill is still doing it–still delivering perfect renditions of songs that made them indie rock legends in the 90s. The band sounds great. There’s no catering to some new approach or new crowd–they are themselves, which generates a refreshing confidence.
The night offered outstanding supporting bands who have been brought on extended legs of the tour; the first was Portland-based band Genders, who create haunting pop that can swell into epic, distorted jam sessions. I had seen the band at a small festival in Washington State last summer and was excited to catch them again. The four-piece, with Maggie Morris at the helm, impressed fans at Stubb’s with a brief but powerful set. To check out their music, head to their Bandcamp page here.
Victoria, BC band Slam Dunk played between these two acts, bringing an incredible amount of energy to the stage. The band exudes a childlike silliness–laying on the stage, jumping off amps to strum other band members’ guitars, inane dancing. Slam Dunk creates almost-surfy, upbeat indie-rock with punk leanings. It took me a while to place, but I finally put my finger on a bit of a Pixies influence. It’s certainly not in every song, but I think their song “Bleacher Lovin'” serves as a good example. Fans came for Built to Spill, but ultimately were treated to two solid openers. I highly recommend checking them both out. Also, see our photo set below.
All photos © Bryan Parker & Pop Press International. Click any image to open in slideshow viewer.
