Austin – The sisters Haim (rhymes with time), rocked the main stage on Saturday afternoon at Austin City Limits this year, riding high off the release of their debut album, “Days Are Gone“, just two weeks ago. The twentysomething San Fernando Valley natives have experienced a massive wave of success all summer, with their catchy alt-pop singles “The Wire” and “Forever” and feature stories in Spin Magazine and Pitchfork. Their manager has recently signed on to Jay Z’s Roc Nation, and the buzz-worthy trio has been thrilled to tour with and open for groups including Phoenix, Vampire Weekend, Mumford & Sons, Florence + the Machine and the xx in the last 18 months.

Over the last two weekends the lady rockers brought their act to ACL where they displayed an unbeatable energy and musical prowess. The group, playing together since they could hold instruments, consists of deadpan eldest sister and bassist/vocalist Este, leather-vest-clad Danielle who sings and plays guitar, and self-proclaimed “Baby Haim” Alana, who also plays guitar and drums occasionally. 

The band opened their set with 80s pop-inspired “Falling,” to which crowd members immediately began dancing and singing along as if fans for years. Next came their breakout hit of the summer, “The Wire,” which kept the crowd momentum moving with the sisters’ distinctive vocal technique – deep, almost guttural sounds paired with melodious ones. The group covered Fleetwood Mac’s “Oh Well,” a group to which Haim has been frequently compared by the music media this year. They broke up the set with jokes and displays of sisterly-love, while Alana proclaimed that the audience looked “super sexy” that day. Este, the sarcastic one of the bunch, had a moment of sincerity in expressing the group’s excitement over the release of their debut album. Upon realizing how serious she sounded, she quickly diverted attention over to Danielle whom she described as being “supes emosh” about the group’s success. (“Super emotional” for those of you who don’t speak in “abbreives”.)

They went on to showcase other tracks off their album, including the strong, rhythmic “Send Me Down,” which was followed by a percussion interlude where the women each took to their own drums. Alana set up at a floor tom, Danielle stood beside a barreling kick drum, Este played a set of rack drums, and all of the sisters shook their heads and tussled long, straight hair around the stage. They closed out with “Don’t Save Me,” “Forever” and “Let Me Go,” each song with its own character but remains intact with the overall personality of the groups’ pop-rocking sound and attitude. Spin described the group’s music as “highly-accessible alt-contemporary singles with a tinge of R&B,” and I couldn’t agree more.

Each member’s individuality shined through in musical talent and raging energy, creating a chemistry that makes audience members wish they, too, were a member of the Haim family. 

Photo By Nick Simonite