Live music review: Car Seat Headrest and Bartees Strange played Stubb’s on May 4

On May 4, Car Seat Headrest brought their current tour to Stubb’s BBQ with opener Bartees Strange for an eagerly awaited performance that brought a sold-out crowd to the venerable Waller Creek Amphitheater on a night that traditionally sees music fans in front of Latin bands with margaritas in hands celebrating a little-known battle victory during Mexico’s war with France. In typical Austin fashion, Stubb’s bucked the trend bringing in not one, but two popular indie rock acts.

Opening artists, still a relatively new presence on the music scene, D.C.-based Bartees Strange was no stranger (see what we did there?) to the early crowd that seemed almost as eager to bear witness to that performance as they may have been for the main act, CSHR.

Carrying one full-length release with a pair of EP’s to their credit, Strange launched into the set with “Far” from critically acclaimed 2020 album, Live Forever immediately proving his diverse songwriting ability, which pulls from an eclectic blend of musical influences, both classic and contemporary.

Bartees Strange represents a growing trend in modern music that finds little limit in exploring a variety of styles and influences. Strange’s positive, boundless energy is nothing short of infectious, and was well received by the legions of dedicated CSHR fans who had packed the front of the stage early in the evening.

Stubb’s was buzzing early with an energy reserved for those rare experiences where it is almost undeniable that something special was unfolding, and Strange harnessed this energy for his set. A set that leaned mostly on selections from the Live Forever release, the most recognized track “Boomer” received an enthusiastic response, with a few newly released singles from his upcoming album Farm To Table. His love for the band, The National is no secret and his take on “Lemonworld” garnished a hearty “thank you!” from a member of the audience upon its completion. A single voice representing many.

There are those artists that come along every now and then that seem to tap into the psyche of a generation that is looking for their voice. A mirrored representation of their own personal experiences that not only brings to light themselves, in an incredibly intimate way. Every generation needs this representation and Car Seat Headrest have quietly found themselves to have become exactly that.

The early beginnings of the project, founded solely by Will Toledo in 2010, saw Toledo self-releasing 10 full-length albums before signing to Matador and compiling the band that currently calls itself Car Seat Headrest. Along the way, Toledo’s stream-of-consciousness lyrics spurred from the everyday occurrences, emotions, and experiences of an individual grappling with the immediate world that he inhabits, have found their way into a source of connection and healing for many. A sold out show speaks of success from a numbers account but, the real measurement of the weight and impact this band carries only becomes evident when experienced in a live setting.

Toledo, suited up as if prepared for some dystopian future, took center stage and remained physically subdued for most of the set, dancing in a slow robotic fashion as the rest of the band brought the music to a fevered pitch. As the show progressed, each track warranted a fevered response for the crowd that was familiar enough with every song the band played, to participate as if these were their own personal experiences.

More commonly known songs “Fill In The Blank”, “Bodys”, “Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales” were all welcomed with cheers while every other track had its more than fair share of fans. Recorded, the band feels like a competent indie-rock band, bordering on lo-fi at times but the live experience is punctuated by an energy and fever of a full-on rock assault. Guitarist Ethan Ives is a joy to witness, with boundless energy and emotion handling the guitar like an extremity that most guitar players wish they had.  Thirteen songs seemed not nearly enough for the crowd that night. The band returned for what they claimed was a rare encore for a sing-along performance of “Stop Smoking”. A simple tune with a simple message. A message that concludes with a simple refrain, “We don’t want you to die”.

All photos: Michael Maly

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