Micachu played Cake Shop (pics), Death By Audio & SXSW

photos by Tim Griffin

“There has been an enormous swirl of curiosity surrounding the UK’s, Micachu and the Shapes –and not just because half the audience was trying to figure out if 21-year-old Mica, donning a giant T-shirt and my haircut from 5th grade, was, indeed, a girl. (Affirmative. Whatever.) Point is: This band, about as ragtag as a barely-20 trio on their first world jaunt can be, made short shrift of bending smiles into the faces of the 300 or so folks that punctually filed up to the stage at Emo’s Annex for answers. Micachu’s live arsenal includes a tiny, beaten acoustic wired with a gnarly pickup, an even tinier electric, a realm of gritty pedals, a pair of keyboards, liberally distributed cowbells and wood blocks and an assortment of household bric-a-brac mounted by the drum kit– the result is a assertively spacious, often noteless brand of indie-pop that sounds like the surprise ending of its family line. Imagine a Matthew Herbert enrapt in his own restless youth, instead of…well, being Matthew Herbert (who recorded Micachu’s Rough Trade debut, Jewellery). What starts as a clawing, atonal clamber eventually clarifies itself over several songs as the brilliantly sustained and jarringly inventive MO of what is sure to be one of ’09s sharpest songwriting talents.” [The Phoenix]

Micahu‘s March 2009 SXSW/NYC run is almost over. Just one NYC chance left to see them, and that’s with The Grates at Pianos tonight (3/25). Tickets are still on sale.

Last night (3/24) they played Death By Audio. The night before that it was Cake Shop which is where the pictures in this post came from. More of them below…