The first time I saw Free Energy, I wasn't completely impressed. The music was good, yes, but I was turned off by a young band that seemed a little too big for their britches. I described that night saying, "Free Energy’s cockiness—combined with an ample supply of obnoxious fanboys in the pit—makes you almost want to dislike them." Needless to say, it was with trepidation that I saw them play again while in Austin.
Apparently a fair dose of reality had already been delivered to these Philadelphia boys by the time I got to them at SXSW, and they were the better for it. Lead singer Paul Sprangers was genuine and humble, thanking the audience (including the members of Titus Andronicus who had just finished playing) for dancing enthusiastically throughout the set. "This is much better than our set at Fader Fort yesterday," Sprangers said. "There was a guy in the front row flipping us off and mouthing "Fuck You" for the entire time."
Maybe that was just the sort of kick in the face that Free Energy needed to tone down their act and turn up their amps. Their set was high energy, catchy riffs driving a rock-friendly audience to effusive support. The band members beamed as they played, but not the smug smile that I had seen before - these were smiles of collective enthusiasm for a night well spent. Indeed, after a rocky start to our relationship, this set won me over. Free Energy may not be the saviors of rock and roll, but "Bang Pop," "Free Energy," and "Dream City" are legitimately solid tunes. "This is awesome," Sprangers repeated throughout the set, perhaps marveling at the warm reception given by the crowd at the Rolling Stone showcase. And it was.
