With the SXSW festival looming over Austin and a near infinite amount of bands and events taking place Friday, March 9, the hottest event ended up being a high-energy electronic dance show put on by Swedish pop quartet Little Dragon. An opening set by DJ Aaron Byrd primed the massive audience for the virulent dance contagion that was unleashed upon attendees. Armed with energy, confidence, and a setlist that wouldn’t allow the audience to rest, Little Dragon set the tone for the forthcoming week of dance parties, hence leaving some big shoes to fill.
Having released their fifth studio album, Season High, nearly a year ago, Little Dragon was armed with a trove of new tracks to break open. Yukimi Nagano is the front woman of Little Dragon, and her charismatic aura and impeccable vocals make her the conductor the funk train that navigated a 15-song set. Opening the set with tracks “A New” and “The Pop Life”, Nagano immediately sucked in the audience with her stage choreography and intuitive musicality.
Day-glo paint, neon clothing, and fluorescent lighting were consistent in creating a world of Nagano’s creativity that had a synergistic effect when they played their high octane hits like “Sweet” and “High”. Little Dragon is proficient in engaging crowds and demanding participation. However, the sweet spot that makes them truly unique is their unpredictable melody changes and unorthodox song structures, that always keeps fans guessing.
Live drumming from Erik Bodin made sure that the live sound wasn’t too electro-dominated, while the voice of Nagano goes beyond singing and legitimately turns into an instrument of its own. While Little Dragon understands that a crescendo needs to be preceded by something a bit more subtle and slow to heighten the impact, they did a great job of keeping the energy pulsing in a generally steady and consistent manner.
Finishing out the set with songs “Feather” and “Strobe Light” was an obvious crowd pleaser but it was their three-song encore with “Sweet”, “Klapp Klapp”, and “Twice” that delivered the most powerful punch. Little Dragon is a special group with a sound that escapes classification, but it’s the artistry of their live show with Nagano front and center, that puts them on a plain of excellence where few others can dwell.
