Last Tuesday, July 13th, I saw my first show at Maxwell’s. I planned on snapping a few photographs and sticking around for a few songs-- what I did NOT plan on, however, was finding a new band to add to my rather selfish collection of favorites. There’s Björk, Beirut, Fake Blood, Devotchka, Sufjan Stevens...and now, The Acorn.

Hailing from Ottawa, Canada, The Acorn are still fresh faces in the music industry, playing together for only eight years. If you’ve ever listened to Fleet Foxes, Midlake, Noah & The Whale, Volcano Choir, or the Talking Heads and loved it--this is the band for you. Indie folk rock, with a bit of a Beirut twinge hovering over the pounding percussion and backup vocals. Still not indie enough for you? How about the fact that The Acorn completely isolated themselves from society by living in a Quebec cottage while writing their 2010 album, No Ghost? Yeah. Add a couple self-crocheted hats, and these guys could headline Bonnaroo.

Although the crowd was small (most likely due to Americans’ limited knowledge of the Canadian ensemble), I was mesmerized. I expected an average show with average beer and was rewarded with neither. Dressed casually in rolled up blue jeans, t-shirts, and plaid button-ups, The Acorn came off as an urban Mumford & Sons while Maxwell’s bartenders catered to everyone’s groggy needs. Although I had been told time and time again about Maxwell’s being the place in town for beats and suds, it was something I had to see to believe.

Oh! And a quick shout out to The Acorn’s opening act, Communipaw, a Garden State band formed in 2007 due to a chance encounter between two of the bands members. Communipaw presents a classical mix of indie rock and alternative country, with the lead singer’s angelic voice bringing me back to the lighter days of Matt Pryor. Gracious in both online and face-to-face communication, this band has quickly risen from impromptu performance to invigorating opener. For more information on both the band and music, check out http://www.communipawmusic.com.