I had the pleasure of seeing Camera Obscura at SXSW in 2006, and their following has apparently grown considerably in the past few years. People spilled out of the tent onto the lawns of the French Legation Museum and abandoned the folding chairs around the edges to catch a look. A few people couldn't restrain themselves from making unsolicited requests for songs from Underachievers Please Try Harder. (And while that practice is only slightly less reprehensible than requesting Freebird, I secretly agreed with the sentiment.) Regardless of any requests, the band obliged us with a set list that included favorites from both Underachievers and Let's Get Out of This Country, with all the 60s pop and R&B sounds, and Tracyanne Campbell's achingly beautiful voice.
But despite the excited and cheerful crowd and equally sunny setting, the performance seemed subdued---true to the songs, but lacking in any particular live energy. I know the songs have a twinge of melancholy, but I still expected to see at least the hint of a smile, or any emotion really, from the band. And I know this is not polite to say, but Cambell looked pretty jet lagged, or at least nonplussed. So like most people under the tent, I was already a fan of the songs and was happy to be there, but I couldn't help but notice that maybe Camera Obscura was underachieving a bit in their performance.
