I had little hesitation choosing to see Japandroids on Monday over Beach House after our Frightened Rabbit plans were derailed by that damn volcano. And now I’m starting to think Mother Nature intended for me to be at the Japandroids show all along because it was a pulsating performance, already my favorite concert of the young year. (Now if Frightened Rabbit reschedules for Phoenix, then I’ll get the best of both worlds.)

I didn’t keep a setlist, but I’m almost certain the Vancouver duo – playing their first show in Phoenix – tore through all of Post-Nothing and then some, including Darkness on the Edge of Gastown, Art Czars and its 7-inch B-side, the Big Black cover of Racer X. (I took some video, but I think my digital camera’s feeble audio capabilities were completely devastated by the volume levels.)

Three days before the Phoenix show, the guys stopped by KCRW in Los Angeles for a session on Morning Becomes Eclectic in which singer/guitarist Brian King explained the not-so-subtle secret to success as a two-man band: “The amps, especially their size and quantity, is what it’s all about.”

Here’s the KCRW setlist:
1. Crazy/Forever
2. Sovereignty
3. Art Czars
**Interview**
4. Rockers East Vancouver
5. Wet Hair
6. Young Hearts Spark Fire

I recommend watching the entire session, but KCRW also uploaded Art Czars to its YouTube channel if you just want to watch that (and, man, I love this song):