Brightest Young Things

all words: Andy Hess
all photos: Mitchell London

After last year's tour with Dirty Projectors, including a stop at The Black Cat, Givers are destined to finally move out from behind the shadow of obscurity. The quintet from Louisiana are riding an excellent 5-song EP and a killer live show.

When they took the stage Tuesday night -- downstairs this time -- they barely fit, but their performance could have easily filled the 9:30 Club. On stage with a cache of instruments, their music is made for body-movement. Kicking off their 70-minute set with "Up, Up, Up", a four minute epic that moves from Paul Simon to Thin Lizzy in a matter of seconds, the band played the songs from their self-titled EP and a few more that will most likely end up on their full length.

Their whole set was a blazing, caffeinated, joyous display. You would have had to be heavily sedated to not enjoy that show. Not to add to the hyperbole of popular unpopular music, but Givers are a damn good band.

Deutschmarks -- the solo project of Chris DeWitt with members of DC bands Pree, Frau Eva, and Wild Fictions -- opened the night with their blend of guitar driven, experimental, pop music. The band spent their 30-minute set playing loose, but definitely showed that they were young band trying to find their sound. They suffer from too many ideas that push and pull their music in an inconsistent direction.

But even with the inconsistencies, Deutschmarks are a band that I'll continue to watch.

Previously in Live DC:

• 2/9: LiveDC: Theophilus London @ 930 Club
• 2/9: Best Weekend Bets
• 2/8: LiveDC: Kathleen Edwards @ 930 Club
• 2/8: LiveDC: Thurston Moore/ Kurt Vile @ Black Cat
• 2/8: LiveDC: Thurston Moore/ Kurt Vile @ Black Cat
• 2/7: LiveDC: Demetri Martin @ Warner Theatre
• 2/7: LiveDC: Augustana/ Graffiti6 @ 930 Club
• 2/6: LiveDC: All Things Go Presents: Reptar/ Casual Curious/ Fort Lean @ Gibson Guitar Showroom
• 2/6: LiveDC: TYCHO/ Beacon @ RNR Hotel
• 2/6: LiveDC: The Kills / Jeff The Brotherhood @ 9:30 Club