Been Run Down By The Trucks

Without any pointless lead-in prattle, we're going to tell you that The Trucks killed Friday night. Killed. The music was huge, the crowd was amped and the energy throughout the evening at Jules Maes Saloon was hot to the touch. Thanks in no small part goes to No-Fi Soul Rebellion for getting things moving in a big way. NFSR brought it hard to the old saloon Friday night, with singer Mark Heimer leaving no one in the crowd untouched by his sing-scream-dance-crawl-on-the-floor assault. We hadn't seen NFSR before and didn't know what the hell was going on when the husband and wife duo set up shop on the floor with the rest of us, leaving the stage bare. Once the backing track started, though, and Missus No-Fi started in with the bass and Mister No-Fi commenced with the craziness that would get us crawling on the floor right along with him, we knew what they were all about: A good fucking time.

But the fun had just begun. The Trucks, known for dressing the part for their shows, seemed this night to be representing the many facets of the female personality in all its beautiful and neurotic wonder: Drummer Lindy as strength and professionalism, singer/keyboardist Kristin as mania and vulnerability, singer/keyboardist/xylophonist Marissa as sex and self-confidence, bassist Faith as the rock star in all of us (not pictured, unfortunately).

The ladies of The Trucks opened up the show with their synth-heavy, drum-heavy Introduction, in which the girls proclaim their various ticks and faults, ("I turn into a bitch when I'm hungry...") followed by choruses of "We like it, we love it..." It's an unapologetic admission to the world that we're all weak and weird sometimes and fuck you if you have a problem with it.

Most of their self-titled debut album (out in wide-release now on ClickPop Records) was covered including a couple songs we hadn't heard before. Additionally, the girls seemed to have possibly been inspired by the Titties remixes they've been receiving from all over the world because Friday night's Titties weren't the Titties we knew. Okay, obviously we just like the word "titties." Moving on...

These girls know how to put on a show. Their musicianship and their stage presence is a fun, loud, sexy, frenzied force that keeps you engaged and dancing throughout the show. Big opportunities are on the horizon for The Trucks. Good luck girls. Slay 'em good and dead.

The Trucks open for the Presidents of the United States of America February 18th at the Showbox and play SXSW in Austin on March 14th. Lookout Austinist.