Dirty Beaches, Minks and the Dum Dum Girls gathered in St. Louis on Feb. 23 as part of a three-month tour. Working with Lou Fest to promote up-and-coming bands, the Billiken Club found itself filled with ahead-of-the-curve fans and undemanding music-lovers.

The one-man band, Dirty Beaches, started out the show with repetitive beats and indecipherable lyricism to combine into a sort of assault on the senses.
While the bulk of the songs were unnecessarily harsh, the introductory beats of each tune were calmer and proved to be the high points, only to quickly fade to a lasting low point.

During these fleeting moments, there was a quiver of hope for a listenable song, only to be squelched once the verses began.
In his defense, Dirty Beaches was better with his cover songs, both the lyrics and instrumentals clearer and more comprehensible for listeners. Although, it could not be determined which song he was covering, it was far more bearable than the original songs.

To the credit of Dirty Beaches, his sound was absolutely incomparable.

Minks was the next act up and a welcome change of pace– their sound more mellow than the first and an actual pleasurable experience.
The light-hearted lyrics and complexity of sound seemed to elicit an already strong sense of support for the group from their obviously present fan base.
Strikingly similar to She and Him, the lead duo harmonized to create an almost ethereal sound, an appreciated shift from the harsh sounds of Dirty Beaches.
The musical variety of Minks could only be described as a pleasant surprise, each song somehow blending effortlessly to the next without falling into a state of monotony.

Minks, at points, became reminiscent of the Shins with a bit of 1960s-era vibrancy thrown in, as well, all to the overwhelming agreement of the audience.
In combining mesmerizing voices, energized beats and a seemingly genuine happiness at being in the city of St. Louis, Minks delivered a worthwhile listening experience that will hopefully propel them out of their general state of anonymity.

The Dum Dum Girls were the main event of the night and likely what most fans came out to see.

An enthralling sound stemming from the band’s captivating voices and hypnotic drums started their set.  They managed to combine lightweight harmonies with nothing less than catchy drumbeats to create the feeling often associated with a stereotypical summer day. Each song seemed to have an ever-present pulse pushing it through to the next, the pulse keeping the songs alive and interesting, without any addition of unnecessary electronica.

The transition to the ballad “Take Care of My Baby” was outstandingly fluid. It would seem hard to fathom that a group could switch so quickly from one style to the other, but the Dum Dum Girls managed without problem. The haunting background vocals are what took this song, arguably the best of the set, over the top.

If looking for a song to tap your toe to while sitting by the pool this summer, the Dum Dum Girls would be the place to go, although the universality of their sound is unlikely.

As there is a time and a place for anything, the band’s music almost seems situational, appropriate only under certain circumstances.

Whether this reigns true or not, the Dum Dum Girls are easy to listen to and are a lively alternative to the majority of mainstream music.