ACL in review
ACL in review: Electric Touch brings a Brit-punk inspired dance party
Some bands are just plain happy to play a festival. Hometown post-punk heroes Electric Touch are such a band, feeding off both an infectious 10th anniversary giddiness and the first raindrops Austin has seen in many months. The Austin-by-way-of-Nottingham quintet played ACL on Friday, choosing tracks mostly from their eponymous debut, harboring the dance-punk tendencies of similar acts like Friendly Fires and Arctic Monkeys.
Yet, Electric Touch's grittier side reared its head, speaking to a youth huddled around vinyls from Shane Lawlor's native England. The Kinks and Sex Pistols emanated through the band's bolder tracks and on this opening day of ACL; Electric Touch was nothing if not brazen.
"Are you with us?" singer Shane Lawlor asked, somewhat rhetorically. He panted briefly before jumping back into a swift 45-minute set. ACL is all about punctuality, but the bands tend to adapt, packing sets with a density of power normally reserved for Texas chile.
During one of several buzzing interludes, Lawlor paid homage to his musical peers, blending a track from fellow ACL-ers Foster the People with Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction." The band rifled off rampant versions of "Don't Stop" and "Magnetic," turning the stage to springs with tireless bouncing. And when the sweat came on so intensely that towels were required, Electric Touch unplugged a bit and turned out emotive ballads like "Alone." With Lawlor hunched over the keyboard and belting hoarsely, he bared a striking sonic resemblance to Axel Rose.
"They say this is the music capital of the world," Lawlor stated mid-set. "Let's prove them right today." With a heavy nod, he jump-started another full-bodied number.
The band's youthful, relentless nature fit well in the overall scheme things. Every opening day of Austin City Limits requires the proper kick-off—one built around high energy and fist-clenching rock. And while Electric Touch should exist in or at least near the punk section of your local record store, the band's cleanliness and poppy leanings came to the fore during their afternoon set. Much to their credit, that's what need be done when you are competing with over 100 bands and four other stages. In the end, the band's smooth avant-punk beats and calculated thrashing drew fans in like a moth to a flame.