21st Street Co-op - March 19, 2010

After a day spent bouncing through event parties and bars the decision was made to go off the beaten path for Friday nights activities. Word had gotten around about a show at the 21st Street Co-op on the University of Texas campus featuring Ume, one of my favorite Texas bands. Located just a few blocks away from Guadalupe Street, aka the Drag, the student housing building resembles a giant tree house.

Crisscrossing staircases and balconies lead to a smokey dark room where a large group of coeds were gathered as the band ZORG finished their set. "This next song is very dark," they told the crowd, "if you have pot on you now would be a good time to smoke up." Hazy air with a hint of cannabis filled the room as the crowd were mesmerized by the heavy beats and trippy light show of the two man psychedelic rock group. One of the more bizarre performances of the trip I was almost sorry when the set was over and lights flooded the room. The crowd scattered in search of beer and food as the next band set up their instruments.

Wires covered the stage as the Austin trio Ume - Lauren Larson, Eric Larson and Jeff Barrera - started their scorching set. A band of few words, Lauren gave a quick "We're Ume" before jumping straight into the music. Hypnotic rock hooks paired with moments of static drenched guitar noise, what more do you need? Ume played a mix of old and new songs for the crowd including the fan favorite "Conductor" from their Sunshower EP. The new tracks were a pleasant surprise leaving me hopeful for a new album in the near future.

Pronounced 'ooo-may' the threesome has been an Austin favorite ever since the band moved to the area back in 2007, quickly becoming known for their heavy live shows as well as Lauren's lush vocals and her ferocious flailing guitar riffs. Forged in the fires of the the punk/grindcore scene Lauren is a ball of energy on stage, jumping and dancing to the music all the time trashing on her guitar. Almost every photo taken at their shows are branded with a golden blonde blur as their front-woman's hair is tossed around while she rocks out. It is a true spectacle to behold, even more so when you consider the fact that her fingers never miss a chord.

There is some video from Ume's set on YouTube but the audio isn't the best. I think I was standing way too close to the right speaker tower. Might also explain why I've been hearing a high pitched buzzing sound for the last week. Oh well, sometimes music involves sacrifice.