The name ‘Benko’ has been associated with a Hungarian chess grandmaster, a U.S. Olympic gold medal-winning freestyle swimmer, a young Hungarian canoe champion, a Croatian football striker, and one half of a Slovenian electro-pop duo.

But Wednesday night, at Mohawk, it will be synonymous with vibraphone-lead indie pop. The Austin trio’s vibes-instead-of-guitars sound furthers their melodic tendencies and echoes their jazz leanings. It’s likely due in part to their unconventional rock instrumentation that Benko are often included in some eclectic show bookings, pairing them with garage rock, new wave and everything else under the sun. Don’t tell locals Basic they can’t use guitars though. Taking away the jangley, metallic resonance of the guitar would alter their poppy alt. rock sound unrecognizably. Decatur, Ga.’s Warm in the Wake are also big on the 6-string’s strum and twinkles, as well as atmospheric melodies. They’ve just released their debut full-length, American Prehistoric, and it’s bulging with quickly-digestible American indie rock. Wiretree - singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist Kevin Peroni plus live band - are the openers, and that means get there early for some of the most undeniable pop tunes and sweetly warming vocals in Austin.

Benko w/ Basic, Warm in the Wake and Wiretree
Wednesday, September 5th
Mohawk [map]
Doors at 8, Show at 9

[Benko Myspace] [Official]
[Basic Myspace]
[Warm in the Wake Myspace] [Official]
[Wiretree Myspace] [Official]

Image Courtesy of Benko's Myspace, Photo by Aubrey Edwards