Photo by JOSH PELTA-HELLER
Headlining an indie rock triple-threat bill supported by Maryn Jones’ Yowler and Palberta, Speedy Ortiz laid waste to the First Unitarian Church’s basement last night. Leading the charge was vocalist Sadie Dupuis, stage-stomping in her tennis sneaks, thrashing her trademark pale salmon-colored electric flat top with customized headstock featuring her solo pseudonym Sad13. Three full-lengths deep, Speedy can take their pick of plenty of fan faves to fill a nearly two-hour set of straight-up indie rock and roll, with enough guitars and guile to make their forebears proud. There’s echoes of Jenny Lewis’ lyrical smartassery and tones of Bettie Serveert, but Dupuis earns the right to make the tradition hers. She’s not shy about striking a well-deserved rockstar pose, either, even as bassist Darl Fern threatens to steal the scene with kinetic bounces from stage left, while anchoring the crew’s fuzzy, infectious noise-pop hooks with a muscular bassline.— JOSH PELTA-HELLER