Tilly and the Wall

Among the bands to explode from the Bright Eyes-anchored Omaha indie-pop scene in recent years was Tilly and the Wall. To those who haven’t enjoyed the treat of listening to the sweet melodies and guy-gal vocals of 2004’s Wild Like Children (the first release from Conor Oberst’s Team Love label) or 2006’s Bottoms of Barrels, the band is best-known for its percussion, which consists almost entirely of Jamie Williams’ tap-dancing.

But even someone suspicious of gimmicky instrumentation (and reluctant to credit anyone linked to the least-deserving “next Dylan” of all time) needs only one listen to fall in love with Tilly. The clickety-clack tapping complements the sing-along unison vocals over a backdrop of playful instrument-swapping pop arrangements. The lyrics, meantime, document the hormonal surges and tribal bonding of adolescence. Shoegazers be warned: This will be an energetic show, heavy on audience participation—you just might have fun in spite of yourself.