It was still light outside when the first opener, Annabelle Chairlegs, began at Club Dada. A surprise guest and one of two openers on the bill for Daisy the Great that night, their psychedelic rock was soon swapped for the contemporary folk stylings of Olive Klug. Although Austin-native Annabelle Chairlegs was a surprise addition to the lineup that night, the combination of punchy, percussive rock and vulnerable folk somehow perfectly preluded Daisy the Great’s multi-faceted indie rock.
Daisy the Great founders Mina Walker and Kelley Nicole Dugan have established their sound as, no matter what, having locked-in harmonies. They’re probably best known for “The Record Player Song,” but on their tour for their album All You Need Is Time, Walker and Dugan showcase more of a range of their talent. Supported by an incredibly talented band of four, the six-person ensemble brought an unrivaled energy to the Club Dada stage.
Walker and Dugan are each natural-born entertainers in their own right. Walker made her way down into the audience several times, even laying down on the floor while the audience circled around her cheering. In a different circle later in the show, Dugan and Walker both danced surrounded by audience members. There were other times where small, fun choreographed moments happened onstage. No matter what—dancing, not dancing—the pair made sure to always have fun onstage. Their rest of the band got in on it as well, dancing, trashing, and borderline moshing together.
A favorite moment in particular was during Daisy’s song “Smile For The Camera,” during which Dugan, Walker, their synth player Brie Archer, and guitarist Nardo all brought Olive Klug back onto the stage for a four-part vocal harmony. It’s their ability to go from intense jamming to more tender, pulled-back moments that makes Daisy the Great such a powerhouse in regard to performance.
After a two song encore, ending with the famed “The Record Player Song,” Dugan and Walker went straight to meeting with a long line of fans. By the time I left a nearly empty Club Dada, it was dark outside, and closer to midnight than I’d have preferred for finals week. Still, I wouldn’t have traded my Tuesday night with DTG for anything.
