As strange as I found it that Wax Fang weren’t headlining on Friday night, I was glad that they were the band to open up the new Buster’s. It was a strong set and one that is second only to their Dame-closing set about a year ago among their shows I’ve seen. It was short, powerful and, unless I’m mistaken, full of new songs.

I haven’t seen Wax Fang in a while, but it’s not really their fault. They’ve been pretty busy writing and playing all over the area. It’s no real surprise that they’ve quickly become everyone’s favorite all over Kentucky and surrounding areas. In a lot of people’s minds, they’re our best bet at recreating the My Morning Jacket phenomenon, but I’m happy just as long as they keep up the level of quality they’ve had going for the last few years. And Friday night they convinced me that they still haven’t peaked.

They started with some familiar favorites, which quickly revealed everyone around me to be as big or bigger Wax Fang fans than I was. It’s been a while since my first Wax Fang show, but it seems like Lexington has always been into them. That’s refreshing, since they’re a live act that always leaves me feeling more positive about attending concerts. You know how some groups leave you asking “why do I bother coming out to shows?” Wax Fang is the exact opposite.

After a few songs, Wax Fang switched over into songs that either I’d forgotten I loved or were completely new. I’m inclined to say that they were new, given that the Wax Fang fans that surrounded me were also pretty silent during them. The new stuff sounded pretty fantastic, though not exactly hook-heavy. Still, there were no clunkers or anything that sounded out of place.

But the big guns finally came out at the end. Wax Fang brought out a handful of hits to close the set. Most noticeably were two of my favorites, “WWII pt. 2″ and “The Doctor Will See You Now.” The latter of the two led to the best sing-along of of the set with the chorus’ cry of “Don’t see a doctor unless something’s bothering you!” The only thing better than a singalong is a singalong with a lot of sustained notes.

So the Wax Fang show was great for a lot of reasons. It was a solid show that had to appease even non-fans; it offered up new stuff for fans who think they’ve seen it all; and it was a great way to open up a new venue. Wax Fang have been an important part of Kentucky’s musical history for the past few years, so it’s nice to keep building upon their history.

More photos after the jump