The Wombats @ The Deluxe (IN)
Samantha Beggins
The Wombats
The last time they hit Indy, The Wombats were fresh off the release of their most recent record, Glitterbug. After thirteen years of bandhood, it really seems as though the British rockers have zeroed in on a consistent sound, and their show at the Deluxe Monday night proved full of finesse and fun.
Surprising the audience with their young age, Coast Modern kicked the show off with bouncy, feel-good vibes. Their Indianapolis debut was certainly a success, considering the positive reaction from the audience. The overall impression was that of the much, much younger brothers of Vampire Weekend who smoke a lot of pot.
The Wombats kicked off their set with one of their biggest hits, “Give Me a Try,” which may have been concerning had they been lacking in hits. Everyone has a different favorite Wombats song (each one more obscure than the last), but it seemed as though everyone heard what they came for by the end of the night—a rare feat when a band has been in action for over a decade.
Few artists have recordings that can hold a candle to their live performances, but The Wombats actually manage to capture that energy. This isn’t to say their shows aren’t interesting, but it explains why their recordings are so kick ass. Some bands bring an entirely new dimension to their sound at concerts, but The Wombats bring it to their recordings.
It’s well known that lead vocalists generally take the spotlight, but such was not the case last night. With Matthew Murphy occupied with guitar and vocals, he was fairly tethered to one side of the stage. To compensate, bassist Tord Øverland Knudsenn took the initiative to do the dancing around and rocking-out. This dynamic helped to bring attention to the whole stage, rather than the typically glorified singer.
Perhaps the most attractive aspect of a Wombats show is the lightness of the atmosphere. There aren’t deep, hidden messages or intellectual feats—they’re just fun. The instrumentals add a dreamy, flowy layer, while the lyrics punch it up and bring energy. Their shows aren’t meant to change your life, they’re just meant to make you dance.
The room filled remarkably well, especially for a Monday (probably because most of their demographic is still affected by the phrase “summer break”). Infectiously fun, Wombats shows are wonderfully lighthearted, just like their studio tracks. If they plan to follow their past pattern of album releases, we could be looking at quite a while before record number four, so hopefully they’ll spend that time touring. The size and volume of the audience they brought to the Deluxe attest to one conclusion: Indy loves The Wombats.