Preview: Balmorhea, Pompeii, Alex Dupree [Tonight at Stubb's]

In our fine capital city, we often get spoiled with the amount of independent music born here, right under our noses. With so many indie labels and artists, it's easy to sometimes overlook an amazing talent or forget how incredible the talent is that you've already discovered here. Balmorhea (pronounced Bal-moor-ay) is a group that once heard live is impossible to forget. Standing yards apart from the typical indie setup, Balmorhea gives us gripping classical instrumentation wrapped in a tender, acoustic package. While becoming increasing popular in Austin, the group has already toured the US three times and just returned from a European tour. Fortunately, they are back in their birthplace tonight to deliver a pleasing set at Stubb's.

Self-releasing their first album, Balmorhea, in April 2007, they followed up quickly with River Arms in February 2008. After picking up a deal with Western Vinyl Records, their third full length album, All is Wild, All is Silent, was released this year. Cascading banjo beats, bittersweet violin rhythms, and vibrations from the upright bass combine for a complex yet seemingly effortless sound. The layered instrumentation makes vocals unnecessary, as the listener can easily insert their own story and emotions to accompany the music. Most songs induce imagery of a waterfall in a desolate rain forest. Perfect for a night of detoxing and soul searching. Thankfully, they play an indoor set tonight at Stubb's, because the cinematic experience might be lost lurking and squinting in the back of the outdoor stage. It's probably a good idea to get their early and steal a spot upfront. Seeing the emotion tensed in the players' faces is part of why they're so good to see live. Pompeii, another Austin native with ambient sound, will open along with Alex Dupree and the Trapdoor Band.

Balmorhea [Official] [MySpace]
Pompeii [MySpace]
Alex Dupree [MySpace]