Girls In Hawaii The Mint/ Tangier April 20 & 22

Ok... so my ability to keep up with this is somewhat lacking, but life just happens too fast sometimes....Anyhoo- Last month I was introduced to a wonderful little band Girls in Hawaii- note: neither girls, nor hawaiian (actually boys from Belgium). They're wonderful, and really nice too... Due to them being from another country and the probability of them coming back soon, I actually got to see them twice, both at clubs I'd never ventured to before, and I'm glad I did, because both shows were so different. I haven't made the effort to see several shows by one band in awhile, but seeing as this was their "testing" mini tour of the states, I thought maybe since I like their music and want them to come back, I should show some support.

The Mint on Pico, was tiny and noisey because there were several bands on before and when GiH came on, the crowd just kinda kept talking, which was just rude. However, that night both singers sang, as oppossed to last night, when only one could due to the other losing his voice; this was at Tangier. THAT show, however ROCKED cause it was just the band, in a room, with everyone showing up just to see them. So no one was just obnoxiously yacking on about how this person did that to that other person and blah blah blah...

Tangier is a nice intimate setting with the band on a small platform so that it feels like they're singing to you, and only you.... so be careful not to forget there are other people in the room and start yelling your phone number out to the band.

The set at Tangier lacked some of the harmony of the Mint show, however, they played a longer set... including some album favorites like Birds and Bees, 9a.m., Short Song for a Short Mind, and then included some covers by The Breeders (Off You) and a song by Supergrass... but I forget which one.

GiH's music is soft and melodic and yet becomes dark and moody expressing, I feel, the truth in their name. It's like a tropical storm where suddenly your blue skies fall victim to a violent thunder and lightning storm, and just as quickly it subsides, leaving you with chirping birds and children playing. Awesome. Go listen.