Font & Lifeguard played Warehouse XI – 7/13

Up-and-comers in Austin’s Font and Chicago’s Lifeguard visited Somerville with support from locals Awnthay.

__________

I love catching a band on their way up, and last Saturday’s double-feature at the boxy Warehouse in Somerville’s Union Square offered two for the price of one. Lifeguard – a Matador Records-signed trio out of Illinois – had been on my radar for a minute, while Texans Font were a new discovery, and both relative newcomers offered up sets worthy of buzz.

The five-piece Font conjured shades of Factory Floor and a no-wave-y descendant of The Rapture in their raw dance-punk, hinging on the committed mania of singer/guitarist/keyboardist Thomas Waddill. They were also the second band I’ve seen in the past month making the case that yes, you might actually need two drummers for that percussive edge. Their debut LP Strange Burden dropped a day before the show, and comes recommended.

Lifeguard, a good old fashioned power-trio, made thoughtful use of the format in tense, noisy songs that found the threesome weaving their own distinct language. Even with singer/guitarist Kai Slater confined to a chair with a leg injury, they brought plenty of energy (and pulled off a pretty amusing trick on the just-released single “Ministry/Energie,” inviting an audience member up to play bass who nailed the part tightly enough to leave everyone a little shocked).

Emo-grunge locals Awnthay were down a guitarist for the night due to illness, but still brought the racket with a satisfying opening set. Check out photos from the whole evening below.