Boy & Bear brought Limit of Love to a devoted Underground Arts crowd

Boy & Bear | photo by Matthew Shaver | www.brightloud.com

When Australia’s Boy & Bear hit the stage at Underground Arts on Friday night, the fanfare was enormous. The raucous hurrahs were so loud at one point, David Hosking actually had to hush the crowd so he could get a few words in edgewise. So, imagine my surprise when I forfeit my spot at the front of the stage to wander back and get some wide shots of the show. It was little more than half full, which was a bit of a shock, and a bit more of a disappointment. Mostly because Boy & Bear are really, really, really, good. Like… really.

Kind of a mishmash of bands that have come before (Band Of Horses with a dose of Dawes, and a sprinkle of Black Keys), but they take those inspirations through the roof. They’re on tour behind their most recent LP Limit Of Love, and I couldn’t have been happier to finally see them. From the highest highs of the spirited, infectious “Southern Sun” and “Where’d You Go” to the somber notes of “Showdown” there wasn’t a bad note in the performance.

I had a moment of serendipity that day that made the show all the more enjoyable. I’d not listened to the music of Hannah Georgas before, but found myself purchasing her new album, For Evelyn, off the new release rotation in iTunes after loving the 90 second preview of “Walls.” Hooray for me when I looked closer at the billing and realized she was the opener. A wonderful set of gorgeous, sprawling, and introspective indie pop-rock. Her voice danced across the crashing drums of “Don’t Go” and the playfully obscene “Crazy Shit” I wish there would have been more in attendance, both acts are truly talented people deserving of a much wider audience.