Though the members of San Cisco claim that the band’s name means nothing – it is not a real place and has no definition, it just kind of came to be – the Australian-based quartet seems to transport its listeners to a far off land with its dark indie pop covered in a sugary sweet veneer. This was the fate of Portland’s Doug Fir on Friday night.

The intimate venue quickly filled up as the stage transitioned for San Cisco’s set, and the band’s bass drum decal – a beach ball impaled by a sword – described its music perfectly. On the surface, the four-piece’s songs sound quirky and cheery, but listen closer and the content matter leans more toward the darker side (“Awkward” is about a stalker, for god’s sake). This dichotomy became even more polarized when the young band stepped foot onstage, all adorned in bright, Hawaiian shirts. It was sure to be a fun night.

But oddly enough, it didn’t start out that way. The Aussie indie poppers began their set with “Lyall,” one of the darkest tracks on their recently released self-titled debut LP. Though recorded the song possesses interesting effects (guitarist Josh Biondillo sings back-up vocals through a guitar pedal), the band decided to go for a more stripped down sound live, giving them more of an indie and less of a pop feel during the heavier songs. 

Beside the questionable beginning song choice, the band looked a bit out of its element. Singer/guitarist Jordi Davieson seemed a little nervous behind the microphone and sped through each song without much talk in between. Scarlett Stevens looked the most enthusiastic, and she was stuck behind a drum kit. They whizzed through the majority of their full-length album and played a few songs off both the Awkward and Golden Revolver EPs (“Golden Revolver,” “Reckless,” and “Josh’s Song,”), and halfway through the set it seemed like Davieson’s nerves settled a bit as he let loose with his guitar. 

“Have I mentioned I love Portland?” he exclaimed. “Thank you for coming out. That means we can come back!” As the band began to play “Awkward,” both the crowd and the musicians changed gears completely. The fans started to dance and sing along, and San Cisco fed off their energy, getting more into it with each subsequent song. By “Fred Astaire,” it was a full-on dance party. With ramped up vigor, the band left the stage and the crowd begged for more. When the Aussies came back and played their rendition of Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky,” it was like a whole new show compared to the first half. Though it may have took a bit to produce the right vibe, San Cisco ultimately succeeded, and their stage presence will only get better with time. I’m already eager for their next North American tour.

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