Broken Bells Kick off SXSW 2010 in Garage-Rock Fashion

No one can say that Broken Bells aren't a garage band, as the James Mercer and Danger Mouse project kicked SXSW 2010 off in stealth style, playing Spinner's first pop-up show at a parking garage in downtown Austin. As the gates opened, fans hustled in and waited for about 30 minutes until they took the stage, where the frequently asked question of the afternoon consisted of one thing: what's the sound in a parking garage like?

As it turns out, great. The sheen sound of Broken Bells' self-titled album utilized the sound wizardry of Danger Mouse's extensive production knowledge, but the acoustics of a low-cindered structure wouldn't necessarily provide the control they're probably used to. They made the most of the situation by treating the crowd to an album's worth of a set, opening up with 'The High Road.' Mercer seemed a bit skeptical at first with the location, but quickly eased in and turned out great vocals on 'Vaporize' and on the falsetto-heavy song, 'The Ghost Inside.'

Highlights of the set included the ballad 'Sailing to Nowhere' and the Beach Boys-inspired drippy psych-pop of 'Your Head Is on Fire.' While most Broken Bells' tunes draw from a myriad of classic soul and '60s pop influences, this was one of the afternoon's moments where the band felt they hit their stride. 'Fire' was the third song in, the kinks had been worked out and the shifting tempos worked to showcase the strengths of Mercer's vocals and Danger Mouse's rhythmic knowledge. Even though Mercer kept quiet during the song breaks, Broken Bells didn't need to say anything -- the crowd knew they were watching Broken Bells in a parking garage, a rare treat indeed. Check out exclusive video from the performance below.