Concert Review: Rooftop Vigilantes at the Replay Lounge

Seeing Rooftop Vigilantes at the Replay Lounge is like seeing a panda in its native China chomping on bamboo in a forest. It’s a natural habitat: a terrarium of indie rock. (Hell, the title of the band’s forthcoming sophomore LP, Real Pony Glue, is an anagram of the bar’s name.)

Since the last time I saw them perform at the Replay, Rooftop Vigilantes have gone from a scrappy, punky power-pop band to a more refined scrappy, punky power-pop band that records with J. Robbins at his Baltimore studio. Since their recording session with the former Jawbox frontman, Rooftop Vigilantes seem tighter. They’ve become more focused without sacrificing any of the energetic theatrics that make them such a refreshing live act.

The most notable change in Rooftop Vigilantes’ stage show is that you can finally hear Hannah Hyde’s farfisa. For too long it’s been washed out by the hyper-distorted guitars and Seth Wiese’s hit-that-shit-as-hard-as-you-can, workmanlike drumming. Having the farfisa in the mix really fleshes out their live sound. Hyde also had a microphone in front of her and added the occasional vocal harmony, another welcome addition.

The set featured almost exclusively new songs with the exception of their two biggest jams, “Oscar Want 7” and “Copper Is Free” from their debut LP, Carrot Atlas.