mtvU Campus Invasion Tour 2007 (The Shins & The Rapture)
04.22.2007
The Backyard - Austin, Tx
Photography: Horacio Rodriguez

MTVU’s Campus Invasion Tour, a show put together with all profits going to Darfur, liberated Austin Sunday with an exclusive, multi-act lineup at The Backyard that included The Rapture, Shiny Toy Guns, The Academy Is, and the headliners - The Shins.

Although the weather was dreary, festival-goers were definitely not. Springtime colors, in the forms of dresses and hats, helped energize the muted climate. First up were NYC indie dance rockers, The Rapture. Opening up their set with "Don Gon Do It," off their new album, Pieces of The People We Love, quickly sent the crowd into a dancing riot. With an energetic set list that consisted of songs such as "Whoo Alright!", "Get Myself Into It," and their get down and dirty classic, "House of Jealous Lovers," The Rapture succeeded in getting this festival up to a great start.

Next up was Shiny Toy Guns, which seemed to have a huge following at such an early stage in their career. The 4 piece electro/pop rock band from L.A. blasted into their set with their synthesizer driven/fuzzy guitar sound. This immediately sent the crowd into supersonic overdrive along with a little help from light rain falling from the Austin sky. Throughout their set, Carah Faye and Chad Petree, both traded off between lead vocals throughout the night, but it was clear that Ms. Fayes' sweet vocals and rockstar'ish good looks were no match for Mr. Petree's good but not as great crowd appeal. Track list included their current single "You Are The One," as well as their dance anthem, "Le Disko".

After a brief appearance on stage from Olympic gold medalist Joey Cheeks, and a short speech on the awareness of Darfur, the band known as The Academy Is.... took the stage. The Academy Is..., made up of two rival bands that once rocked* Chicago's local music scene, have long left their local scene and toured along sides many big acts including Fall Out Boy and Armor For Sleep. As the band began, plenty of the Fueled By Ramen (record label to Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco, and Gym Class Heroes) teen crowd pushed to the front, as to get a better glimpse of one of emo's newest fav bands. The sun came down as the band churned out songs from 2005's Almost Here, and their newest effort, 2007's Santi. On their last date of their US tour, with the sun fully down, a cloud of mist settled over the crowd, frequent Austin visitors and headliners for the MTVU Campus Invasion show, The Shins, prepared to grace us with their eloquent signature indie pop rock. The band opened up their set with "Sleeping Lessons," a lovely song off their newest effort Wincing The Night Away. With its subtle delicate intro to its closing grandeur, this song sounds like something that perhaps should have been on Dark Side of The Moon. Next, "Australia" shot out through the speakers, which ignited a little bit of dancing to its almost western feel. A bit of a change from what you might've heard on previous albums. This is pretty much one of those bands you could say to yourself, "Wow they really sound like their albums". A perfect example of a band who’s developed their tightness after playing countless shows over the years. Great band and great way to end a Sunday night. 

The Shins 

The Rapture