Go for the opener: Menomena at the Varsity Theater
Suckers
Welcome to Go For The Opener, in which we at The A.V. Club plead that if you’re getting ready to see a big concert, be sure to get there early and pay attention to the opening acts.
The big show: Menomena at the Varsity Theater, Thursday, Sept. 23
The openers: Suckers and Tu Fawning
Why you should listen: If you hit the Varsity before experimental indie trio Menomena recreate the songs from this year’s Mines without the benefit of the band-created Deeler loop software, you can catch a set from the up-and-coming Tu Fawning. The Portland group specializes in mellow, Beach House-reminiscent organ pop.
But the opener you should pay special attention to is Suckers, a much-hyped four-piece Brooklyn band that makes shaggy, sloppy indie rock in the flannelled and bearded Pacific Northwest tradition, drawing bits and pieces from the likes of Modest Mouse (heavily) and Built To Spill (lightly). Songs like “Roman Candles,” “It Gets Your Body Movin’,” and “A Mind I Knew” from the band’s debut album, Wild Smile, sound like what a group of cavemen would play around a fire if they had an ear for melodies and access to chiming guitars. Expect a lot of bleary group shouting and instrument shuffling—the only member locked into one instrument is the drummer—which should dovetail nicely with Menomena’s own unified hollering and device changes.
