The third night of this year found me seeking solace between the warm velvet curtains of Spiderhouse Ballroom with Shivery Shakes, Chipper Jones, and Young Tongue. Two other bands, Yuma and Löwin shared the night’s bill, curated by Laurie Gallardo of The Good Music Club, but, as I am bummed to report, I became caught up in all the razzle dazzle of Free Week and missed them. By the time I arrived, the Shivers had begun Shakin’, their sweet sunshine pop thawing out any briskness that drafted in.
Upon taking even the tiniest amount of time to skim through the Free Week lineups, it is almost certain that you saw Shivery Shakes’ name at least a few times. These guys, breezy and distorted, are all the rave. They’ve taken Austin by storm, but, this time, it’s one of those storms where the sun is still shining. A sunshower! This night, with the smiles plastered on the faces of a crowd grooving to their indie beach tunes, further solidified Shivery Shakes’ place in the heart of our city.
If you throw a chance to see Chipper Jones my way, I’ll catch it and run with it. I get so stoked over them. In an attempt to pin that down, I’d say my love stems from their brilliant ability to blend currents of punchy drums and chimey guitar with soundscapes transcendent and pneumatic to create songs–works of art, really–simultaneously ethereal and grounded. There is an intangible quality here that nudges listeners, ever so slightly, in the direction of reflection and appreciation, a nudge only amplified when experienced live.
Dynamic as ever, the supremely sharp five-piece outfit Young Tongue closed out the bill. The high-energy indie pop that flowed from the stage kept the room engaged and alive, despite the clock strike of 1 AM just as they began to play. The spirit of Liz Baker, invigorating and enthusiastic, guides the band through planes of psych and into fields of folk rock, as Stuart Baker, nearly faceless behind a mess of hair, strums away, laying out his emotive vocals for the remainder of the evening. Below, you may check out photographs from the night.
All photos © Madeline Harvey & Pop Press International; all rights reserved. Click any image to open set in slideshow viewer.
