Wisconsin Union Directorate’s Music Committee is sponsoring the indie fan’s favorite United Kingdom sensation, Los Campesinos!, at Der Rathskeller in the Memorial Union for their first Madison appearance tonight. Accompanying Los Campesinos! is New Jersey-based Titus Andronicus, whose edgy, fervent sound is sure to enhance the evening’s overall performance.
Any band featuring a perfunctory yet delightfully charming exclamation point at the end of its name deserves automatic, mild acclaim for refreshing enthusiasm and playfulness often swept under the rug among painfully serious, arm-crossing indie fanatics.
The seven-piece band’s live show is sure to be, at the very least, a spectacle and a great deal of fun. In an interview with The Badger Herald, vocalist and glockenspiel player Gareth emphasized his passion for playing live: “We still, fortunately, very much enjoy playing live. We’re very much in awe of the fact that we get to play gigs.”
With funky beats, soulful, collective vocals and hilarious lyrics, it is no wonder this resourceful seven-some was able to churn out two joyful and critically acclaimed albums in 2008 within a span of nine months.
When asked what playing in America is like compared to other countries, Gareth responded, “The U.S. is easily our favorite place to play gigs. Audiences in America are so much more willing to enjoy themselves. In the U.K., people have their arms folded. … Here we’ve experienced that each gig has had people dancing and having fun. It helps that we seem a lot more exotic. People maybe think that they won’t see us again for a while.”
To satisfy skeptics, their illustrious Arts & Crafts record label placement arranges them comfortably in the esteemed musical ballpark of super-group Broken Social Scene, and also succeeds in emphasizing the free-spirited, expansive nature of their sound. Gareth confidently espouses their main source of creative impetus.
“Pavement has inspired us collectively the most. We admired the way they went about being a band,” he said. It is hard to argue with a bunch of performers like Los Campesinos!, willing to give homage to classic independent musical acts current indie fans understand as crucial for the enjoyable alternative music of today.
Titus Andronicus is joining Los Campesinos! on tour in their second Madison appearance this academic year. Their angst and energy combine to create a highly appreciated live performance.
“They are all incredibly intelligent and funny. They like to drink and to party, every night. … But they go out and give it 100% and it’s always so exciting,” Gareth said in a description not too distinct from a certain student body thriving festively on the UW campus. Having recently toured with DIY and impetuous indie phenom No Age, Titus Andronicus’ genuine, hearty approach to music is something audience members are sure to enjoy.
Los Campesinos! Play at 9 p.m. tonight at Der Rathskeller in the Memorial Union. The show is free and open to students and Union members.
