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It’s been two years since Chicago’s fuzzy dreamsicles Smith-Westerns dropped some teenage kicks on our skulls with their effervescent single “Weekend” and it’s equally energetic album Dye It Blonde. …
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Chicago indie band Smith-Westerns broke through the humidity Tuesday evening with a short and sweet set at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis.
The band were rounding out a tour promoting their latest record Soft Will with the Minneapolis show being the final one.
Opening for the dream-pop quintet were local band Strange Names who brought a satisfying brand of R&B-flavored pop (think 80s staples ABC or Heaven 17) to the stage. Songs like “Strange Revelation” and the bouncing “My Sharona”-like bass of “Minor Times” prove why this band was has been stirring up a lot of buzz lately.
Smith-Westerns took to the stage after 10 pm and kicked in to “Fool Proof,” off of Soft Will. The guys played well despite the oppressive heat (lead singer Cullen Omori, who was dressed in an ultra-thin, billowy shirt, looked like he might melt under the stage lights) and end-of-tour fatigue. Affable jams like “Best Friend” and “White Oath” worked well alongside choice cuts from the band’s breakout album 2011’s Dye It Blonde like the spritely “End of the Night,” “Fallen in Love” and a favorite of mine, “Smile.” They also tossed in a track from their first album (2009’s self-titled), a garage-y Ramones-style tune. The sweetly synthed “Varsity” saw Omori’s airy vocals soar and fan-favorite “Weekend” brought the set to a close.
Smith-Westerns will take a four week break before returning on the road on their European tour:
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STRANGE NAMES
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Smith-Westerns took to the stage after 10 pm and kicked in to “Fool Proof,” off of Soft Will. The guys played well despite the oppressive heat (lead singer Cullen Omori, who was dressed in an ultra-thin, billowy shirt, looked like he might melt under the stage lights) and end-of-tour fatigue. Affable jams like “Best Friend” and “White Oath” worked well alongside choice cuts from the band’s breakout album 2011’s Dye It Blonde like the spritely “End of the Night,” “Fallen in Love” and a favorite of mine, “Smile.” They also tossed in a track from their first album (2009’s self-titled), a garage-y Ramones-style tune. The sweetly synthed “Varsity” saw Omori’s airy vocals soar and fan-favorite “Weekend” brought the set to a close.
Smith-Westerns will take a four week break before returning on the road on their European tour:
Sep 17 100 Club London, UK
Sep 18 Deaf Institute Manchester, UK
Sep 20 Incubate Festival Tilburg, Netherlands
Sep 21 Paradiso Amsterdam, Netherlands
Sep 22 Botanique Sint Joost Ten Node, Belgium
Sep 23 Le Point Ephemere Paris, France
Sep 25 Magnet Berlin, Germany
Sep 26 Repperbahn Festival Hamburg, Germany
Sep 27 Vega Copenhagen, Denmark
Sep 28 Radar Århus, Denmark
Sep 18 Deaf Institute Manchester, UK
Sep 20 Incubate Festival Tilburg, Netherlands
Sep 21 Paradiso Amsterdam, Netherlands
Sep 22 Botanique Sint Joost Ten Node, Belgium
Sep 23 Le Point Ephemere Paris, France
Sep 25 Magnet Berlin, Germany
Sep 26 Repperbahn Festival Hamburg, Germany
Sep 27 Vega Copenhagen, Denmark
Sep 28 Radar Århus, Denmark
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Smith-Westerns at the Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (08/20/13) |
