Fueled by the success of last year’s Fools, Austin folk-tinged indie popsters Wild Child are set to return to Nashville, just a few months after an impressive opening spot at The Ryman with Dr. Dog, and after wowing us at this year’s Forecastle Fest, to headline Mercy Lounge tonight, Sept. 28 along with Susto and Dylan Pratt. Compelling live performers and a versatile, endlessly fun band, Wild Child should absolutely be on your radar if they aren’t already, and tickets to this evening’s performance are still available right here. Read on for more on why you don’t want to miss it!
WILD CHILD
Hovering comfortably between the realms of indie rock and folk music, Texas relative newcomers Wild Child are quickly gaining a reputation as one of the best and most exciting up and coming acts in the rich Austin music scene. Formed in 2009 by core songwriting duo Kelsey Wilson and Alexander Beggins, Wild Child released their first album, Pillow Talk, in 2011, to immediate acclaim. The pair met by chance on a tour, and, upon discovering their immediate musical chemistry, enlisted the other members who now make up Wild Child. Though their early music leaned acoustic, a combination of touring and the production guidance of Ben Kweller on their sophomore release, The Runaround, has unleashed more of an electric embrace, and a more fully-formed penchant for dense, catchy orchestration. Already darlings of the indie folk scene, Wild Child’s whimsical, energetic, and upbeat aesthetics, paired with heartfelt lyricism and an unbeatably fun live show, has earned them endless media praise, tons of SXSW hype, and even two Austin Music Awards. Their most recent LP, Fools, further explores their inherent pop tendencies, and makes them a need-to-know artist and formidable live force.
SUSTO
Named after a Latin American folk illness essentially defined as “fright sickness,” Charleston, SC group Susto are the brainchild of frontman and songwriter Justin Osborne, rounded out by a revolving stable of other performers. The band’s origins trace to a series of collaborations and writing and sessions between 2011 and 2013 in Charleston as well as Havana, Cuba, culminating in the release of their self-titled, full-length debut in 2014. With an eclectic, Americana-rooted sound that also pulls influence from southern and indie rock, folk, gospel, and soul, the band’s strength comes from Osborne’s poetic, smart, and wry writing style, helping generate buzz as they’ve toured extensively in recent years, sharing the stage with some big names like Band of Horses and Shovels & Rope. Susto are prepping to release their sophomore album next year, so there’s a good chance they’ll have some new tunes in store!
DYLAN PRATT
A perfect compliment to Wild Child’s indie and Susto’s Americana sensibilities, singer-songwriter Dylan Pratt cut his teeth in Phenix, Arizona band In Symmetry, eventually relocating to Seattle to take his stab at a solo career, and eventually settling in Tempe, now serving as a home base as he tours the country with fellow genre-bending songwriters. With an earnest, personal, and timeless style, Pratt is a great choice to warm up the stage, and a compelling reason to show up early.
Wild Child, Susto, and Dylan Pratt will perform tonight, Sept 28 at Mercy Lounge. The show is 18+, begins at 8 p.m. (doors at 7 p.m.), and tickets are available to purchase for $15.
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