Smart Thinking From Los Campesinos!

With seven members and trunks full of equipment, the coed indie-punk group Los Campesinos! requires a fair chunk of time to set up and take down their stage, but last night at the Arts and Crafts showcase time was in short supply. I blame Jason Collettzzzzzzzzzzzzzz---sorry, I tend to dose off when thinking about Jason Collett---since his sleepy set ran a little long.

Organizers were hounding Los Campesinos!, their set already heavily snipped, to wrap things up before they group had played a pair of their singles. but with just a few minutes on the clock, the band came up with a novel solution.

Their singer smiled when the guitarist whispered something into his ear. “Ohhh! Tom has an idea!” he grinned.

They proceeded to play “a mega-mix.” Beginning with a brief cover of the beloved early Pavement rarity “Box Elder” (do these guys know how to play to the audience or what?), the group pounded out their anticipated songs while their singer, between his shouted verses, packed up the equipment they were no longer using.