Even when a band is playing 7-9 shows at SXSW, do not underestimate their drawing power. I showed up 5 minutes into Local Natives’ set and spent the next 20 minutes trying to get to a spot where I could take a photo. The only reason I was able to do so was because the people on the right side of the stage were letting photographers slide in front of them (thanks, guys!). So I mean it when I say that at 9pm they were playing to a packed house.

And why shouldn’t they be? Local Natives had some of the strongest buzz of the festival behind them, a solid debut album and a great live show to back it all up. Sounds like a guaranteed hit to me.

It was great to see Local Natives play a full set after their shortened one at the Fader Fort. We got to hear some sorely missed jams like their cover of the Talking Heads’ “Warning Sign,” which sounded even greater live. Then, to cap off a great show, they brought up the members of Fool’s Gold to give added percussion on “Sun Hands.” And man, the anticipation I had for the kick of that riff that cuts in at about the 2/3 mark in that song was tripled knowing that there were about 8 people on stage ready to lose it.