Japandroids Play Surprise Show at Dakota Tavern for NXNE

Last night's kinda-sorta-secret NXNE set by Japandroids may be both the first and last time Toronto's Dakota Tavern hosts a mosh pit.

The twang-friendly alt-country bar has seen its fair share of rock shows -- Broken Social Scenesters, many of whom live in the nearby 'hood, have graced its stage in various permutations over the last few years -- but its patrons are generally content to maintain their personal space. But as venues the world over have discovered, when Vancouver's Japandroids hit a stage, any stage, you gotta be ready for anything.

That may be just as true for the band themselves, as they scarcely made it through their first song before Brian King broke a guitar string. It may have seemed a bad omen for the set, but the band carried on as quickly as possible to keep the show's momentum going. Being allotted only 45 minutes, King was absolutely insistent on blasting through each song at full speed, pausing only to take great gulps of water. The duo's critically adored debut, 'Post Nothing,' relies heavily on a sense of urgency, but their live performance only serves to ratchet up the intensity.

The basement venue was at capacity long before the band took the stage, proving that Japandroids' appearance was about the worst kept secret in town. Luckily, that meant the word had gotten out to the band's devotees, who pogoed and moshed and caused havoc for those who came unprepared.

By the band's second song, the 7-inch single 'Art Czars,' the photographers lined up along the front of the stage had all but abandoned their mission, struggling just to stay upright and avoid being pushed into a mic stand or stage monitor. The crowd's energy didn't flag for a moment, but set-closing barn burner 'Young Hearts Spark Fire' had fans shaking the building's foundation.