10/28/2010: Wallpaper. - Houston, TX

Longtime readers of the blog are well aware of my perhaps frightening obsession with the Oakland, CA funk/pop band, Wallpaper.  (As of this writing, they are the5th most-blogged about artist on Audio Overflow, just above Muse and only one post shy of Sufjan Stevens.)  However, despite my incessant hyping of the group, I had never seen them perform live until last night at Fitzgerald's in Houston, TX!

It should go without saying that I was just in love with what I saw.  Ricky Reed's stage presence is as captivating as the character requires.  Whether he's making subtle jokes, renaming songs on the fly, or just singing and dancing, the guy has got his act down!  The energy that he gives off is absolutely infecting, keeping me moving and singing along the length of the set.  In addition, I'd be remiss not to mention the talent of his P.I.C. and drummer, whose skill is just unparalleled.  It's not a Wallpaper. song without a fresh beat, and Derrick (Arjun?) is the heart of the live show!

The group played through a number of songs from their debut LP, Doodoo Face, including "I Got Soul, I'm So Wasted," "Gettin' Drip," and set-closer "It's My Birthday."  They also mixed in a few new songs as well, including the just-released summer jam "Indian Summer."  When I first heard the track a week ago, I was a little unsure of its greatness.  However, after hearing it live, I have no questions; this is a straight party jam!  I loved it!  Disappointments?  Not many aside from the lack of "Txt Me Ur Love" or "I Ain't Most Dudes," though I understand that when you're playing a 30-minute set, you sometimes have to cut the less crowd-pleasing songs. 

Wallpaper. opened for The Heavy, who are making waves right now with their similarly funky sounds.  My apologies to the band for not sticking around for the show.  Believe me, if I didn't have to work at 6am this morning, I would have been there in the front dancing my ass off!  But hey, I did get to see Wallpaper., and I got to meet the guys after the show too! 

Listen, if you have yet to listen to this awesome group, do yourself a favor and catch them on the road soon!  The band is currently touring the US with The Heavy (Austin tonight!!), and you can check out their tour dates on their Myspace page.  Come back to Houston soon, guys!