School of Seven Bells Debut New Tracks at Austin City Limits

Evening after-shows are a staple at Austin City Limits and Thursday night, prior to the official Friday 11:15AM kickoff, served as a warm-up for some of the weekend's most anticipated acts. While supergroup Them Crooked Vultures played an early evening set at Stubb's, nearby local bar Emo's hosted five acts on its two intimate stages. A ticket gave fans access to outdoor sets from Wye Oak, Blitzen Trapper and the Walkmen, while the cooler -- thanks to some blasting air conditioning -- indoor platform vibrated to the sounds of School of Seven Bells and Phantogram.

Blitzen Trapper's opener, the 'Furr' track 'Sleepytime in the Western World,' served as a wake-up call for the weekend. A mere stumbling distance away on the indoor stage, unsigned indie-electro duo Phantogram added to their fanbase with their ethereal vocals and lounge beats. School of Seven Bells, loud to the point where they rivaled a deafening My Bloody Valentine set, played three new songs -- 'Heart Is Strange,' 'I L U' and 'Bye Bye Bye' -- off their forthcoming album, which is due early next year.

100 yards away, things were much mellower when the Walkmen took the stage. Frontman Hamilton Leithauser and co. sounded nearly unplugged until they busted out older songs, like the mariachi-inspired 'Louisiana' off the band's third LP 'A Hundred Miles Off' and the breakthrough staple 'The Rat.' To say the least, the ability to be in more than one place at a time would've come in handy Thursday night.