The Hype: San Diego’s Grand Ole Party have been enjoying a steadily growing buzz for the past couple of years now, thanks in no small part to tours with bands like Rilo Kiley and Vampire Weekend. More than a few people have described them as sounding like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs playing White Stripes songs — and the trio just so happens to be fronted by a female singer/drummer who bears a passing resemblance to Karen O. If all that doesn’t earn you a handful of shows at SXSW, I don’t know what does.

The Show: You might think a show by a band whose singer is permanently seated would be a bit static and boring, but Kristin Gundred makes up for her lack of stage prowling by putting on a show of emotive facial expressions as she wails her vocals and wails on the drums. The band sounded extremely tight (no doubt thanks to all the touring) and stuck mostly to material off its just-released debut LP, Humanimals, while throwing in a little newer material as well.

The mid-day outdoor show’s smallish crowd gave a hearty reception to songs like the stomping “Look Out Young Son,” the funky blues number “Turn On, Burn On” and rollicking, escalating drama of “Insane.” More than a few passersby at the free Mess With Texas event in Waterloo Park were drawn in by the sound, changing course from their bathroom breaks and beer runs to walk over and take a listen — a scene that’s sure to be repeated at this year’s Coachella festival.

The Verdict: With a live set that’s every bit as good as their excellent debut and a sound that’s unique enough to avoid accusations of copying the the bands they’re compared to, the future couldn’t be brighter for GOP. The band has even graduated from “Wow, I’m glad I got here early” opening act to bona fide headliners, kicking off a brief U.S. tour April 2 in Denver.

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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