Hearing reports of the Liars’ lead singer, Angus Andrew, injuring his back (from lifting a throw pillow of all things) put a note of hesitation on the Saturday night performance. Previous shows on the tour found him performing in a chair, and one date was even canceled. Waiting patiently for the Liars to take the stage after No Age (who put together a very impressive live show), I pictured the 6’6” Andrew restricted to sitting in a chair and shaking his head, vigorously fighting the urge to push through the pain to dance and writhe with the music. It was not a pretty daydream.

Fortunately, after what seemed like hours, Andrew stomped out onto the stage, joining the other Liars. He stood hovering eerily over the crowded outdoor setting at Mohawk, peering over the onlookers, as the first haunting chords droned out of Aaron Hemphill’s guitar.

Andrew is a site to behold. In his two-sizes-too-small pink blazer and matching pants, he enveloped the stage completely. His tall, wiry frame was everywhere – screaming, stomping, swinging his arms, and shaking his head like he was out of his mind. In a good way, of course.

The band tore through the first several songs, showcasing mainly material from their new self-titled album, filled with much more straightforward dance-rock beats that translated well to a high-energy show.

After searing through a lot of new material, the band segued into some of their more experimental tracks from Drums Not Dead, providing a much more interesting vehicle to see what the Liars could pull out live. Drummer Julian Gross methodically pounded out the mood to the darker, more experimental sound, with Hemphill’s auxiliary percussion whirring in and filling every pocket seamlessly.

The crowd seemed to shift gears just as readily as the band. One minute, they were dancing and the next, swaying like drones in a daze, transfixed with watching Andrew’s every shiver and spasmodic twitch, singing along readily to utterly bizarre lyrics.

In between songs, Andrew informed us that they were not responsible for the cold - that it was, in fact, our fault. At one point, Hemphill surveyed the audience to see who was a native Texan. “Okay, I’ve always wanted to do this, he said as he then proceeded to lead us into a version of Deep in the Heart of Texas. It was more than amusing hearing that vocalized with an Australian accent.

Not surprisingly, nothing was heard from their debut album, They Threw us in a Trench and Stuck a Monument on Top. Although I was secretly hoping to hear Mr. Your on Fire Mr. (I know, I know, that’s, like, so 2001.)

All in all, The Liars put on an impressive show. They proved that even through all their drastic style changes, they were able to maintain a cohesive, entertaining set. In their most mellow moments, Andrew was still able to keep the intensity and interest high with his famous stage antics.

For more information or to listen to some tunes from The Liars, check out their myspace
http://www.myspace.com/liarsliarsliars

 

To check out upcoming events and shows happening at Mohawk head here:
http://www.mohawkaustin.com/