Austinist Show Review: IV Thieves at Habana Calle

Mundane societies often pave the way for artistic innovations and highly creative individuals. Not to imply anything about various areas in England, but one frequently hears murmurs about its bleaker areas, be it Sheffield or Nottingham. And it was the latter’s working class culture that gave rise to IV Thieves.

Originally named Nic Armstrong and the Thieves, it didn't take very long for the band to change its name, implying more of a fair distribution of song writing, musicianship, and general input between Armstrong, Shane Lawlor, and Glynn Wedgewood. Now based in Austin, the band celebrated the release of If We Can’t Escape My Pretty with a scintillating performance at Habane Calle. Hosted by label New West Records in conjunction with the new Channel 15, ME Television, the show was preceded by delightful appetizers and the always popular open bar.

The Thieves took to the stage with a barrage of new tracks, including the bluesy “Take This Heart” and lament-heavy “The Day Is A Downer.” The band is adept at its Brit-pop roots: crunching guitar hooks, crescendo vocals, and a solid rhythm backing mark the album as well as their live show. Where IV Thieves excels is in blending those traits with a southern rock, almost alt-country feel at choice moments. Still, their forte is power pop, and that continued with “Catastrophe” and lead single “You Can’t Love What You Don’t Understand,” both fit to grace any radio station. The show closed with a number of the audience, especially of the female persuasion, storming the stage during "Broken Mouth Blues" to bring to end a quality night of rock n' roll from one of Austin’s best imports.

IV Thieves MySpace
Vote for the "You Can't Love ... " Video on mtvU's "The Freshmen"

Photo by Jennifer Leduc on Flickr