ACL Live Shot: Tegan & Sara

Photo by Shelley Hiam

Indie rock sister act Tegan & Sara stirred up late-afternoon crowds with a solid set of crowd favorites. They played it safe by starting out with sing-along "Walking With a Ghost," but proceeded to tear it up with some of their edgiest tunes. Midway through, the proper rock set abruptly turned into a dance party, showcasing a synthier side of T&S. The ladies were backed by four bored and beautiful young men, and that fuller sound was put to good use on a new song, "I'm Not Your Hero," which continued in the dancier vein with sweeping keys and an anthemic feel. Some of their best songs, such as "Nineteen" and "Hell." seemed a bit lost on the crowd, much of whom didn't seem clear on which ones Tegan & Sara were. That didn't affect the stage banter, which was unfailingly polite and fun, including Sara noting that she was close to fainting from the heat. She encouraging the crowd to dance, but "don't over exert yourselves and then blame me later." A later slot and a more attentive audience would have better served Tegan & Sara, but the music remained killer.