Buxton & Wild Moccasins @ Mango's

It's good to be back in Houston. I spent a long time away from the Bayou City, and what better way to get back into the swing of things than a Buxton show. Not just any Buxton show, but their highly lauded 7" release party that also featured the Wild Moccasins first hometown performance since returning from a freshman tour of the states just a few days ago. It was my first time attending a performance at the newly renovated and reopened Mango's, a vegetarian cafe by day, and ripping local venue by night. They've done the best they can with the tiny room, but when it gets packed like it did for this Saturday night performance, it becomes an oven – even Sergio Trevino, lead vocalist and guitarist for Buxton, proclaimed after the show that it was the hottest performance he'd ever been a part of. Come to think of it, it also might have been one of the hottest performances I've ever been a part of – in more ways than one.

Read about the show after the jump

First up were the ever-so-cute Wild Moccasins. They came to stage – each member adorning spots of blue paint on different bits of exposed skin – and quickly jumped into their first song. I used to use the term pop-sprites to describe the Moccasins, but with a new road-weary look and sound about them, I'm not sure if that term applies anymore. What's the next step up from a sprite? Elf? Gnome? Dwarf? No, none of those fit – how about nymph? I'm going with pop-nymphs. Anyway, the Wild Moccasins have learned a thing or two on the road, now being able to evenly balance all five distinct parts of their sound. The male/female two part harmonies of Houston's indie-rock prom King and Queen Cody Swann and Zahira Guitierrez are the signature to their sound, but it's the support of Nick Cody's consistently booming bass, the hot guitar licks of Andrew Lee, and the unbridled energy of drummer Andrew Ortiz that are the backbone of this growing band. I'm looking forward to what's in store for the future of the Wild Moccasins, and can't wait to see how much exposure they gain leading in to next year's SXSW. I have a feeling this will be the most important year of development for their budding career, and I'm freaking excited to be a part of it!

Buxton are also on the brink of taking off, and if you've been a regular reader on this sight, you know how much we love them. This was quite the showcase from the LaPorte transplants, using their heat to make sure people sweat even more than they already were. They played the two songs featured on their newly released self-titled EP early – a slightly tweaked "Feathers" that featured a guest spot from two horn players came first, followed by a sped-up version of "Flint" a few songs later. All the rest of the standard culprits were there, including "Flame," a manic "Holy Water Revival" and a spirited, but all-to-quick take on "Westward." While they are still yet to go on a big tour like the Wild Moccasins, Buxton are learning a bunch from constant rehearsing and the regular live gigs they are playing here in town. All four members seem incredibly happy to be playing together, and the talented musicians that inhabit this band show no sign of stopping. Trevino's warbling vocals perfectly match the lyrics he writes, all fitting quite nicely in front of Chris Wise's steady bass, Justin Terrell's shuffling rhythms, and the multi-instrumental barrage of Jason Willis. On top of their incredible musical abilities, they are all friendly, down-to-earth guys that are always keen to a good conversation about everything and anything, music related or not. If their quickly-built local fanbase is any indication on how big Buxton will be, their future looks very bright. Just like the Wild Moccasins, Buxton have an opportunity for serious growth in the next year, which will hopefully see another full length LP on top of the several small projects they've already announced for release. Big things are to come for this small town band.

I'm glad to be able to witness the growth of these two bands, and to see just how much they are doing to make a name for Houston's bourgeoning indie music scene. Bands like Buxton and The Wild Moccasins are a sign of hope that one day Houston might be known for something more than just oil, concrete and mediocre sports teams (sorry, I had to say it...). Thanks for a couple of amazing performances guys (and gal) – it was the best eight bucks I've spent in a long while.

-Eggs