Autolux Brings Explosive Sound to Maxwell's

While Maxwell's is normally filled with locals excited and ready to see their favorite act perform, Los Angeles fuzzy rock trio Autolux seemed to have attracted more people from New York City than the Mile Square.

"How many people here are actually from Hoboken?" bassist and lead singer Eugene Goreshter asked the crowd during Sunday's sold-out show.

Although only a smattering of hands peeked out of the crowd, this didn't mean that the rest of the city couldn't get a taste of what Autolux had to offer. While Autolux is composed of Goreshter, guitarist Greg Edwards and drummer Carla Azar, the amount of sound they make not only fills the confines of Maxwell's but also leaves you with aftershocks of distorted bass chords and drumbeats. Even with earplugs lodged into one's ears, the sound seems to creep through and make your eardrum vibrate a bit more than it's used to. If all that happens, then Autolux have done their job. Usually compared to the likes of Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine, the volume level can outdo even the largest group of prepubescent teenyboppers at a Justin Bieber concert.

But before the band could actually get the show started, their elaborative setup—complete with strands of ribbon lights hanging from the walls and ceiling as well as exposed light bulbs scattered throughout the stage—made everyone wonder when the show would actually get started. Scheduled to start their set at 10 p.m., Autolux weren't ready to go till about 11 p.m. Despite the late start time, what was more surprising was that the majority of the band's various loop pedals, distortion devices and other sound instruments all managed to fit on Maxwell's otherwise small stage.

After a six-year break, the band came out with "Transit Transit," the long-awaited follow-up to 2004's "Future Perfect," in August. And instead of playing the hits on Sunday night, the soundsmiths played the newer material, which was was met with approval by an entranced audience. However soon after the band played "Subzero Fun," one member of the audience yelled that she could hardly hear Goreshter's voice.

"It's that kind of place," the bassist said, as he was tuning up for the next song. "It depends on where you stand. Maybe you could all play musical chairs. And when you get to one o'clock, two o'clock, you'll hear better."

From the elaborate soundscapes and droning tones to the band's mix of haunting yet delicate voices, the band played an energy-packed set that was so hypnotizing that even though you think you might not be into their style, you just have to listen. And once Autolux reached their final song, "Blanket," the crowd erupted into chants and repeatedly screamed, "encore! encore!" despite the fact the band couldn't leave without playing another song or two.

"Thanks for sparing us the encore walk," Goreshter said as he pointed to their potential exit path. "You guys just cued it in."

And after a couple more tracks, the band thanked their fans by giving them their own round of applause.