Middle Kids opened up for Local Natives at Austin’s beloved Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater on Saturday, June 15. An Australian trio, this indie rock band features lead singer Hannah Joy, her husband Tim Fitz and their drummer Harry Day.
It was a hot evening at Stubb’s, but that never stops us Austinites. The band was welcomed onto the stage with cheers of excitement, and as I looked around I realized it was more packed than I usually see Stubb’s during an opening act. It was clear that, like myself, my fellow attendees weren’t just there for Local Natives — they were there for Middle Kids as well.
Hannah, Tim and Harry bring a laid-back yet energetic vibe to their performances. The first time I had ever heard them was at a late night ACL show, and from there on out I was hooked to their pop-punk tunes that often echo ’90s grunge vibes. Incredibly relatable, authentic and raw, Middle Kids’s tracks weave seamlessly together.
Heads were nodding and feet were tapping to the beat for the full duration of Middle Kids’s opening act. At one point in the performance I thought to myself, “It’s official. It’s summer, concert season is in full-swing, and I’m here for it.” For some reason, Middle Kids’s music screams summer to me. Perhaps it’s because they’re from Australia (in my mind, it’s always summer there), or perhaps it’s because their music delivers that liberating sensation I feel during the summer. Either way, I dig it.
Songs in the setlist include the following (those with links are my personal favorites):
- Never Start
- Salt Eyes
- Your Love
- On My Knees
- Bought It
- Maryland
- Edge of Town
- Beliefs & Prayers
- Don’t Be Hiding
- Real Thing
- Mistake
Check out some of our favorite shots from the show below! For more recaps and photo galleries on music happening around Austin, click here!
Follow Shuffle Online on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Love our work? Buy us a coffee on Ko-Fi!
Leigh is a native Texan gone temporary New Yorker and now proud Austinite. Passions include but are not limited to music (both as a spectator and dabbler), traveling & cultural adventures, film & television, true crime, design (of the fashion, interior, and graphic sorts), and photographing & writing about all the aforementioned. Self-acclaimed coffee connoisseur & wino, cat aficionado, book worm, and nature junkie.