The Hype: The line was down the block. The annoyed doorman couldn’t stress enough that the club was at capacity (c’mon, dude, I can see plenty or room right there!), and even a sterling New Zealand accent couldn’t get you in the door to see Liam Finn. The son of Crowded House/Split Enz co-founder Neil Finn, he’s been touted as a one-man band whose feedback-drenched freakouts are miles from dear old dad’s dulcet tones.

The Show: Opening up with the title track from his solo debut, I’ll Be Lightning, Finn exhibited his multitasking right off the bat. The guttural drone of his guitar, looped live along with a thrumming bass line, created a hypnotic groove that echoed as he jumped over to the drum kit and bashed out some Led Zeppelin-worthy beats. With an array of nearly a dozen pedals with names like Ringtone and Hotcat, Finn mashed down on button after button to build a wall of sound that filled the tiny, packed back room of the Mohawk club.

The Verdict: Finn was mesmerizing to watch as he jumped from instrument to instrument and summoned a full band’s worth of sound, mostly by himself, but with some help from a female backing vocalist who also played percussion, including a crushed soda can filled with what sounded like beans. If you’re planning to go see Eddie Vedder’s solo tour, make sure you get there early to see Finn.

Keep checking in with You R Here for more South by Southwest coverage throughout the festival, plus there’s plenty more over on our sister blog, MTV News’ Newsroom.

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