Smith Westerns Wow Hometown Crowd in Chicago

The Smith Westerns played their first hometown show of the year at Chicago's Schubas Saturday night, performing to a sold-out crowd while dressed like a quartet of dads from a camping trip in the '90s in jean jackets, tight blue jeans, hiking boots and tucked-in henley shirts.

Sticking mainly to songs from their 2009 self-titled debut, the Smith Westerns inspired the crowd at Schubas, which consisted of many of their friends and family, to dance, sing along and furiously nod their heads to songs like 'Boys Are Fine,' 'Girl In Love' and 'Dreams.' Before they launched into 'Gimme Some Time,' lead singer and guitarist Cullen Omori informed the crowd that it was the fastest song in their set. "So, if you want to rage, you should probably do it, and start a circle mosh." The crowd didn't "rage" all that much, but the Smith Westerns were able to get the first few rows pushing up against each other and dancing to their fuzzed-out pop sound.

What could only be described as a testament to their playful nature, the band was all smiles on stage, grinning out into the crowd. Guitarist Max Kakacek captured the band's lo-fi aesthetic perfectly with a single white shoelace that he used to hold his guitar up instead of relying on a standard guitar strap. Sounding less distorted than they do on their debut album, the Smith Westerns' not-so-secret love of pop hooks was clearly evident in their catchy choruses and instantly memorable guitar riffs, especially on a song like 'Be My Girl,' which turned the crowd at Schubas into a writhing dance party.

As quickly as they ripped through the first few songs of their set, the Smith Westerns ended their show a mere thirty-five minutes after they started it, perhaps due to the fact that Omori's stage banter consisted of nervous mumbling and not much else. They sheepishly agreed to an encore of 'My Heart' after the crowd chanted their name repeatedly and egged them on. "That's it, that's it," said Omori, backing away from the microphone as their final song wound down.

Unlike a lot of new bands that enjoy mugging for the spotlight, the Smith Westerns seem content just playing simple pop songs for their friends. Although their "friends" now consist of a nationwide fan base, it's refreshing to see such a young band retain their ethics when faced with the pressures that come with being a buzz band.