Austinist Show Preview: The Lemurs & Black Before Red @ The Mohawk tonight

The Mohawk presents a solid double bill of local pop this evening. The Lemurs have been writing new material over the last few months and a handful of those songs will be included in their set tonight. The band enjoyed a stellar 2007 -- highlights included licensing their music to NBC show Las Vegas (as well as an Australian indie flick called Newcastle) and touring with Canadian act Stars. This past Sunday, ME Television telecast a 2nd ME Live! featuring The Lemurs' shimmering melodies in concert at a recent La Zona Rosa gig.

The Lemurs expertly alternate between guitar driven synth-rock and memorable power pop ditties, making for a rousing live performance that has the audience dancing and bobbing their head in agreement all show long. Instrumental synth jam sessions amidst the songs, catchy guitar hooks at choice moments, and Mitch Billeaud's affecting vocal delivery throughout are reasons enough that this band deserves to scale the same heights that acts like The Killers and Bloc Party have been able to. The Lemurs will release a split 7" vinyl (in April if all goes to plan) with California's Castaneda via Voodoo Cowboy Entertainment but we could be in for some other treats before that vinyl hits the streets -- the band also hopes to drop some remixes for our yearning ears leading up to SXSW.

Keeping busy in 2008, The Lemurs will open for What Made Milwaukee Famous at the latter's CD Release bash at Emo's on March 7th. Be on the lookout for various gigs during SXSW as well; The Lemurs are scheduled to play the Red Bull Moon Tower After-Party as well as the Green Potato Ventures Showcase.

Arguably a bit on the under-appreciated side, Black Before Red is equally adept at crafting a fine pop song with hummable harmonies and easy-on-the-ears instrumentation. The band turned in a scintillating performance at Antone's last month, while bassist/vocalist/keyboardist Kevin Schneider later (along with Martin Crane from Brazos and Sara Beck a.k.a. Pink Nasty) joined White Denim on stage to aid in the shenanigans of that set. We are expecting a new EP from Black Before Red this year but in the interim, be sure to get to The Mohawk early to ease into the evening with their brand of accessible pop-rock. As Schneider claimed at a past gig at The Parish, Black Before Red is here to "soft rock" the audience. Sign us up please!