This was quite the show for the Union Music Committee to put together; four notable bands coming together to play at the small confines of Club 770 in Union South. Specifically, this show brought together the two different tours of TV on the Radio/Birdland and I Am the World Trade Center/Aspera; how the committee managed to pull this off is beyond me. With the bands running late, opening band Birdland didn't even begin until shortly after 9:30, and with each band playing sets of approximately equal length, headliners I Am the World Trade Center didn't finish until after 1 AM. Overall though, it was an incredible lineup with some very impressive performances.

Birdland consisted of a female lead singer accompanied by a man on an electric organ, with a drum machine keeping the beat in the background. I was almost shocked when they began playing; I'd never heard anything quite like it. Their music was incredibly intense and mesmerizing, with a rather darker edge. The singer's voice was also incredibly powerful; very deep and throaty. Meanwhile, the lights seemed to be turned down lower than usual, and the room was mostly lit by some sort of silver spinning device on the stage that really contributed to the atmosphere of their performance. It was very theatrical, in a way.

Up next was TV on the Radio, the only non-electronic band of the night. TV on the Radio has been generating quite a bit of buzz since the release of their EP, Young Liars, and clearly the majority of the audience had come specifically to see their blending of rock with a bit of soul and blues. Despite fighting a few sound problems (like the microphones cutting out for about 3 minutes), they definitely lived up to their buzz as they put on a fantastic show. They played most of their EP and a few songs we can expect to hear on their forthcoming album; "Staring at the Sun," my favorite song off the EP, also seemed to be a crowd favorite as the audience of about 130 had heads bobbing across the room.

Unfortunately for Aspera and I Am the World Trade Center, the vast majority of the audience left immediately after TV on the Radio wrapped up. In response, the bands appeared to shorten their sets to about 30 minutes each. Aspera played to a few dozen people, and to be honest, they didn't thrill me. Their sound was a bit bland and the audience mostly seemed a little bored. I spent most of their set taking a break outside the venue.

Finally, and unfortunately, the last band of the night played to the fewest number of people. I Am the World Trade Center is pure electronic indie-pop; Amy Dykes sings in a sweet voice reminiscent of Save Ferris' Monique Powell, and Dan Gellar works the computer, occasionally chipping in with a digitally enhanced robot voice. Their music is sweet and fun and totally danceable, and they encouraged what few fans were left to dance away as they sped through their short set list. They reminded me a bit of the Mates of State because, well, they're just so darn cute, hopping around up on stage with the biggest smiles on their faces like they didn't have a care in the world. Mates of State meet Junior Senior, perhaps, with their boy-girl charm and the sheer joy of their fun dance-pop.

It's always hard to see bands not getting the audience or the respect they deserve, and I Am the World Trade Center deserved a little more from the UW population than they got last night. Those who left early missed out, however, while those fans who stayed the entire night got great exposure to four very different bands, not to mention some quality dancing as well.