TMZ-worthy gossip aside, FOALS and SURFER BLOOD are two semi-old alt rock outfits that still know how to crush it. And by it, we mean that sensible but jarring take on indie rock that allowed albums like Total Life Forever and Astro Coast to take a bite out of 2010. The pair from different sides of the Atlantic took a trip to Toronto just this past Saturday and absolutely killed any skepticism with full-bodied riffs, brain-twitching rhythms, and the kind of honesty/thick grooves you’d expect on the dance floor of a Grade 12 prom. Whereas John Paul Pitts and Surfer Blood threw down floating vibes, Yannis Philippakis and the rest of Foals hit every square inch of the Kool Haus with positivity. For once, no one griped about being bored and it’s because no one could murder the energy in the room.
