We arrived at the Detroit Bar to find the line snaking
around the parking lot–a first, perhaps, for a Monday-night residency. The
occasion? It was the last night that Foster the People and Pacific Hurt would
be playing for free at their co-headlining gig. You all know Pacific Hurt, née Aushua, winners of the Best Song category at the 2009 OC Music Awards for “No Harm Done.” And, after
a month of Mondays, Orange County has become well-acquainted with Foster the
People.
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Important Things to Know: The band first started getting attention last year when they played SXSW and were shortly thereafter featured on NPR's All Songs Considered Blog. They followed those events with a very successful Australian tour, dropped an EP, and then announced they were part of Coachella's official lineup. So, yeah. They're doing pretty well.
The crowd was insanely enthusiastic, singing along to “Pumped Up Kicks” loud enough that singer Mark Foster stepped back from the mic at one point to let the crowd take over. If you haven't heard “Pumped Up Kicks” yet, do yourself a favor and check it out. This is the song that won the hearts and minds of SXSW critics; NPR described it as “an indie-pop jam that exudes sunny Californian vibes.” We agree–but the song works for winter, too, with its Modest Mouse-meets-Dandy Warhols vibe and catchy refrain.
Personal Bias: They have an omnichord.
Crowd: Abundant. Sweaty. Dancing.
Overheard in the Crowd: “Okay, now it's my turn to be by the stage!” said an enthusiastic fan as she practically hockey-checked a photographer out of a prime spot.
Random Notebook Dump: Whoever does the lights at Detroit Bar is on top of it.
Setlist:
“Warrant”
“Miss You”
“Waste”
“Houdini”
“Broken Jaw”
“Helena Beat”
“Pumped Up Kicks”
“Kids”
