Drowners

When Drowners appear briefly for a soundcheck grinning wildly and riling up the crowd by whooping into the microphones and fist-bumping the front row their stage presence and vitality is immediately apparent and forecasts a formidable show.

Thursday night, a job interview, a gig, a delayed train, odd conversations in a pub with strangers and a guitar pick, sums up quite an interesting night.

I arrived forty-five minutes early and yawning. Not off to a good start. They were playing at one of my favorite venues, Schubas Tavern (exact pronunciation still up for debate), and by some miracle I’d managed to find parking in Chicago on a Saturday. Even if it was under a broken streetlight and dangerously

The New York based indie rockers pummeled through a slew of crowd favorites new and old including Luv Hold Me Down Long Hair and Cruel Ways the latest single from their sophomore effort.

Los Angeles, USA

Drowners, who released their debut self-titled album this January via Frenchkiss, played an early day set on Friday that was fairly appropriate considering The Strokes would be playing the next day. Drowners radiate The Strokes both musically and through their model-esque looks and too-cool style.

The effect that this has had upon the band since their last London appearance is evident, their confidence growing almost as quickly as their ever mounting list of well-respected admirers.