Shearwater and Wye Oak Play Redemptive Set in New York

Unbeknownst to the audience, Shearwater felt they had something to prove when they hit the stage at Bowery Ballroom on Saturday night. Midway through the set, frontman Jonathan Melburg recalled the last time the band performed at the New York City venue. "We punched a hole through the kick drum, we broke a few bass strings ... We were young and inexperienced," he told the audience. "Someday I'm going to avenge that f---ing show."

The group's joint performance with Wye Oak proved to be the perfect opportunity for redemption. The five-piece Austin-based act (which includes percussionist Thor Harris, bassist Kimberly Burke, and multi-instrumentalists Jordan Geiger and Kevin Schneider) played a sublime set in support of its latest release, 'Golden Archipelago.' The band filled the venue with ambitious melodies and rapid-fire beats, occasionally borrowing Wye Oak drummer Andy Stack to join in.

Meanwhile, the opening act, comprising of Stack and guitarist and singer Jenn Wasner, played a set weaving dulcet tones and twangy vocals that bolstered dark lyrics, with titles like 'I Hope You Die.' The Baltimore duo marveled at the acoustics in the room and drew a big audience response to its multi-layered, dreamy sound.

Towards the end of the night, Melburg requested the venue make use of the disco ball hanging overhead. After playing searing tracks like 'Black Eyes' and 'Corridors' with all the equipment still in tact, he summed up the evening by announcing, "This is our best show in New York ever."

Shearwater on AOL Music
Wye Oak on AOL Music