I have been a fan of London-based Wolf Gang for a while. They made my top 10 list of 2010 and I have desperately been trying to catch the band live. Finally got that opportunity at SXSW, twice! Both performances sufficiently echoed the sense of controlled urgency and synth power exhibited on record. The first performance I caught was at the FADER Fort which was a nice introduction. The crowd was less-than-enthused at the start of the set, but by the end the beer lines had cleared out and people made their way to the dance floor for a heavy dose of Brit-pop. The second show was at the Neon Gold / Chess Club showcase at Klub Krucial. That performance was met by a much more familiar/receptive audience which allowed the band to loosen up a bit and really have a good time on stage.

The centerpiece of the band is lead singer and brainchild Max McElligott who writes most of the songs. I had a chance to meet him at The Driskill Hotel the night before the FADER performance and I was introduced to a circle of people, when I got around to him I looked up and noted “You look like the lead singer of Wolf Gang… You ARE the lead singer of Wolf Gang”. It was weird for a second, then got awesome.. Very nice guy.

MP3: Wolf Gang – “Dancing With The Devil”
MP3: Wolf Gang – “Pieces Of You (Yes Giantess Remix)”