Tuesday, July 20. 2010
 | by Jeff Barringer - Staff Writer & Photographer
When I first saw the Silversun Pickups in 2006 it was after midnight, during Austin's SXSW festival at a notorious dive on Red River called Spiro's. If you included me and the bartender there were only 6 of us. On that tiny stage, lit with Christmas lights, the Silversun Pickups tore through their set oblivious to the handful of people in the audience, focused only on their music. Even then their songs were a richly embedded mass, building, swirling, swarming and droning like a hive of bees warming in the morning sun.
Jump forward to last night and the venue and audience size may have changed, but the Pickups have stayed true and their sold out show at Stubb's BarBQ was played with every bit of focus and energy.
No, they are not the most exciting stage band, no gimmicks like flamethrowers, rotating drum kits or lasers, but their lighting and stage presentation match their music and impart an ethereal aura to the band and the music which draw you in. With a Pumpkins meet Blue Cheer sound the Silversun Pickups music is dense, warm, and builds in intensity, with just enough pop hooks to crossover and reach the masses. Great band, great show.
Click here for the rest of the Silversun Pickups pics.
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