TV on the Radio Tonight at Stubb's

Legitimacy doesn't happen overnight. Nowhere is this more true than in the music industry, where success never appears fully earned unless it's preceded by ten years touring in a smelly van for. Even so, when the experimental rock band TV On The Radio surfaced in the early part of this decade, it was hard not to feel like the band was going to be something special. The song that did it for us was a hazy, a cappella rendition of the Pixies song "Mr. Grieves," which brilliantly substituted the original's blitzkrieg pace for a ghostly doo-wop vibe.

It could have been easy to milk that contrast for a novelty, but from that first EP, Young Liars, through to this year' extravagant Dead Science, TVOTR have proven to be disciples of the Brian Eno/Peter Gabriel school of maximalist pop experimentalism. Seriously, drums haven't sounded this good since Talking Heads' Fear Of Music, and the songwriting, from the polyrhythmic assault of opener "Halfway Home" to the quietly devastating "Family Tree," matches the inventive production note-for-note. TVOTR have also developed a strong reputation for live performance; tonight's set at Stubb's will be their first show in Austin since their 2006 appearance at ACL. Mere days from a world-changing election, Dear Science's chilly futurism should match the changing season as well as can be imagined. Detroit death-rockers The Dirtbombs open.

If you'd like to go, fill out the form for a chance to win a pair of tickets:

This contest is now closed. Congratulations, Rob!

TVOTR on MySpace
Dirtbombs on MySpace