I was thrilled to hear Grouplove would be touring with MSMR and Smallpools as supports for their US tour, so I saw them at Stubb’s in Austin, TX on April 6. This lineup is one of my favorites because the vibes of these bands fit well together. Smallpools is a newcomer who could satisfy the likes of Grouplove fans, while MSMR has a special spunk brought to stage by front woman Lizzy Plapinger. All of the photos from the concert can be seen on my flickr page.

The reason I love concerts is because you have the chance to physically see the people who made the music you love – their style, their energy, their passion and stage presence. For me, Grouplove really hits the head on the nail. They are the complete package of hippie spirits, style and sounds.

MSMR has quickly become another of my favorite bands after seeing them first at Austin City Limits. Lizzy’s smile and quirky personality is captivating. Her ever changing hair color and omnipresent fashion sense is also part of that package that makes the live band what it is. The MR to her MS, Max Hershenow, matches her style and has an equally strong stage presence with his dance moves.

Smallpools has been one of the bands on my watch list since May 2013 when they released their first single on SoundCloud. I even reviewed their debut EP, which you can read here. Sometimes new bands’ live performance is not as strong as their sounds, but this was not the case when Smallpools took the stage. They played the songs from the EP as well as a few new ones that got me even more excited to hear it. The crowd enjoyed the set and even sang along to some songs.