Little Beirut is one of my new favorite bands. Ever since I heard them on 94.7 Too, a radio station that plays only Northwest artists, I have been captivated by their solid indie pop sounds.

I caught a free (!) show by Little Beirut at University of Portland’s Buckley Hall last night. It was a little strange to walk into a college auditorium to see a show, but the great acoustics and intimate setting made up for that quickly. I arrived too late to see Michael Lansing open for Little Beirut, which I am sure is a shame.

But on to Little Beirut. The audience of college students got treated to a lovely set by Little Beirut, which spanned the group’s three CDs, Permanent Kiss, High Dive, and their most recent release, Fear Of Heaven.  We got to hear “She’s A Martyr,” from High Dive, a song whose screaming guitars and searching lyrics gave me goosebumps. Featured below is a video of “High Dive,” which transitions seamlessly into “Cosmic Waitress,” a track from Little Beirut’s new album Fear Of Heaven. “High Dive” is slow and melodic with minimal percussion, while “Cosmic Waitress” bursts immediately into crashing drum beats and robust guitars.

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Perhaps that is what makes Little Beirut so special. They are a versatile and multi-talented band. All of the members sing, and drummer Alex Inman dabbles with instruments like the keyboard, whistle and harmonica. Lead singer Hamilton Sims commands the audience with his charisma and flawless vocals. Bassist John Hulcher amazes as he wanders the stage, and guitarist Edwin Paroissien rocks in general.

Little Beirut played a great show—my only gripe is that it was too short. I’ll definitely be sure to catch their next show, at Alberta Rose Theatre on January 22^nd of next year. In the meantime, Little Beirut fans, new and old, can look out for an interview I scored after the show, coming up soon on BestNewBands.com.