Don’t worry, they won’t bite: Los Campesinos! were too cute to be real at the Bluebird earlier this week. Photos by .
All seven members of are cute and pretty and tiny and Welsh, and as they fluttered onto the stage Tuesday night, I wanted to kiss their rosy cheeks, put them in my pocket and take them home. This way they could play for me every morning as a replacement for T. Rex’s “Get it On,” which I’ve listened to on repeat since January. But thatap another story.
Beginning the hour-long charm-fest with “Ways to Make it Through the Wall,” the Campesinos! shined brightly as their Korgs buzzed and guitars roared, lead vocalists Gareth and Aleksandra Campesinos! playing their glockenspiels with an intense fervor. As they clanged away at the delicate instruments through “Documented Minor Emotional Breakdown #1,” the other five members bobbed along with silly and happy grins.
Waves of violin rushed over “Drop It Doe Eyes” and the chaotic danciness of “Death to Los Campesinos!” was overwhelming sweet and super-charged with the Campesinos!’ bewitching inter-band charisma. Their stage banter was as quaint and biting as their sound, keeping the audience fully engaged as the band heartbreakingly partied through “Miserabilia.”
The band ended their explosive set with “Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks,” a wonderful love song that sent Gareth up the side stage stairs, climbing high above the crowd where he breathlessly squealed his last verses. A brief encore brought the band back and into the crowd, members zigzagging about the stage and diving into the audience for a throbbing and joyous sing-along ending.
Los Campesinos! squeamish teenage angst felt like a new twist on what made bands like the Rentals and the Anniversary so great. Their balanced mix of electronic and basic instrumental sounds combined with diary-pried lyrics and equal parts boy and girl participation was infectious and perfect for dancing. It’s obvious Los Campesinos! are happy to be alive and all they desire is to make you to happy too.
Bree Davies plays bass in , writes about her obsessions with Iggy Pop and Lil’ Wayne in and repeatedly fakes her own death at . She is also a self-proclaimed addict.
Denise Chambers is a Denver freelance photographer and regular contributor to Reverb. See more of her work .
MORE PHOTOS: Sky Larkin
LOS CAMPESINOS!
