Enjoyed Male Bonding with Young Mammals last night

Male Bonding @ The Sunset Tavern, Sept. 13, 2010

With a billing that sounds like a gathering of men bonding over baby sheep, the Sunset was in fact the setting of some indie rock goodness last night.

Male Bonding, out of Dalston, London, released one of my favorite albums of the year back in May (Nothing Hurts). Considering the critical raves the album has gotten and the fact that they're on Sub Pop here in the states, it was shocking to see such dismal turn out to see them play in the relatively tiny venue of The Sunset Tavern. About 50 people saw the intimate performance and hung around afterwards to talk with the band. It was worth a late Monday night alone for the chance to see drummer Robin Silas Christian behind the kit, as he might just be the best stick man in the game right now.

The trio ripped through their entire library, including three not from Nothing Hurts, in just over 30 minutes. No need for stage banter or mid-song noodling here, just a workman like efficiency and a few seconds between songs to catch breaths before Christian's sticks strike out a rapid four count to begin the next song.

Cley Miller of Young Mammals

Houston's Young Mammals both opened and supplied the amps and drum kit for the headliners. Their off-kilter jams remind me a bit of the Black Lips' playfulness, only with a lot more complexity and artful discordance thrown in. Opening act The Dark were LOUD. They were not my cup of tea, but they seemed competent in how they ripped our faces off. My ear plugs required ear plugs.

Click through for more photos from the event.