Bursting with energy and an inviting stage presence, the experimental pop outfit Lake Inferior has consistently embraced kooky acrobatics, layered electronics, and classic party mentality. As a storm rolled over Chapel Hill Tuesday night, inside Local 506, the band used the fun and spontaneity to create some summer thunder of its own.
The Vinyl Records vets opened for Athens, Georgia’s shoegaze trio Twin Tigers, whose pairings of soft vocals and loud instrumentation induced a psychedelic charm. Both bands’ complex synth filled the venue with force, and seemed to feed off the storm that was brewing outside.
Although the crowd was not many in numbers, for loyal fans, Lake Inferior’s set was one that pleased. Not only did the band play fun favorites “Spiders” and “Johnny B,” but also numerous new songs, including an ode to To Kill A Mockingbird. Although a sincere birthday song dedication ended in a subpar version of “Wall Song,” the boys kept things casual, as the band jokingly admitting it was the one song Dax Beaton insisted the band not practice at rehearsal.
Throughout the set, guitarist Derek Torres’ cranked things up, not only with his guitar, but his enthusiastic stage antics. From bouncing around on singer Nasir Abbas to passionately death-gripping the microphone, Torres’ embodied Lake Inferior’s enthusiasm from start to finish.
With song breaks full of jovial banter with the crowd, Lake Inferior remains a band whose fan base still remember the humble beginnings, whether it be WXYC’s 80s dance party or Carolina house parties; in the same spirit, Lake Inferior proves is still ready to have a good time, no matter who and how many are watching.
Photos by Elizabeth Byrum
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