The Constellations Bring Dirty South to New York Gig

The Constellations may have only been an opening act on Monday night. But Atlanta's latest music experiment gave it everything they got as they warmed up New York's Bowery Ballroom for the night's headliners, Portland, Ore.-based Hockey. The fact that hardly anyone knew who they were didn't phase this eight-piece as they squeezed onto the small stage.

Kicking off their set with the psychedelic and organ-heavy rock track 'Setback,' the Constellations made you feel like you were walking into an impromptu jam session as they introduced everyone to songs from their upcoming album, 'Southern Gothic.' Aside from frontman Elijah Jones' constant flirtation with the crowd, the rest of the band looked like they were in their own musical zone. Then again, last night proved that listening to anything by the Constellations puts you in a trance.

Not ashamed of their southern pride, the Constellations showed just how Atlanta has influenced the band's sound in every way. Playing songs that combined rock and hip hop with a southern twang like 'Felicia,' Jones proved he had more than deep vocals by rapping and even beatboxing on a few songs. "We're doing some s--- from our town," Jones said. "It's from the dirty, dirty, dirty. It's about to get evil."

Closing their set with the same energy that they started with, Jones maniacally laughed into his mic while he introduced the nine-minute Tom Waits-inspired tune, 'Step Right Up (A Tribute to Tom Waits).' As the song progressed, Jones transformed from the smooth emcee to a man possessed by his own music. Between grooving around the stage to riding his own mic stand, the carnival-like track presented the diversity that the band has and is a preview of what they'll have up their sleeve when they head to Austin for a slew of SXSW shows.