We got tickets to this sold-out show the day before, after watching the prices on StubHub for a week or two. No regrets! After spending the weekend in Austin, we headed to EaDo for poke at SeaSide followed by a quick beer at True Anomaly before heading across the street to Secret Group. The show times posted on the door were accurate and appreciated.
The opener, Lowertown, had great energy on stage. Olivia Osby repeatedly emphasized how nice the crowd was - I hope they haven't had too hard of a time with disrespectful crowds on the rest of their tour. Guitarist Avsha kicked ass. Some songs gave me Modest Mouse and Built to Spill vibes; their live sound seems substantially different from their studio sound, from what I've heard.
Then there was Wet Leg. "Too Late Now" was the definitive highlight for me. I loved the coordinated guitar twirls from Rhian and Hester, and Rhian's reaction to the crowd chanting the fast-paced pre-chorus was so endearing. There weren't any duds in the set, and I'm hoping to hear the songs that were new to me on their upcoming album. Of their two most popular singles, I'd have to say that the live rendition of "Wet Dream" outdid "Chaise Longue," but both the band and the crowd had fun throughout.
I read a review of this concert that compared the hype around Wet Leg and these early shows to the rise of Nirvana. That seems a little hyperbolic to me at this point, but then again I'm the guy who paid 3x face value to see this band while they're still playing tiny venues. Looking forward to seeing what comes next for them!