Margot rocks out

The music evoked raw emotion at Saturday night’s performances at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater.

Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s, David Vandervelde and Judgment Day each played intensely moving sets for enthusiastic listeners.

Judgment Day, an instrumental trio that hails from San Francisco, kick-started the night. The band consists of two brothers, Anton and Lewis Patzner, and drummer Jon Bush. Their music infuses both classical and metal music genres and was powerful when performed live.

The trio played with speed and grandeur, and, to show his prowess, violinist Anton Patzner blindfolded himself halfway through the set. Unlike most metal shows where destruction is encouraged, audience members quietly watched in awe.

David Vandervelde then played. Vandervelde is an indie-folk artist who is signed to local record label Secretly Canadian. Although he is the main creator of his music, he played alongside a drummer and bassist. Their set was clean, straightforward and enjoyable.

Vandervelde was very in tune to the crowd, leaning into his microphone, which was perfectly centered on the stage. His love for performing was made clear as he wailed on his electric guitar while walking into the crowd. One excited fan waved his hands in the air as he stood behind the crowd-embracing Vandervelde.

The trio played the catchy “Jacket” and ended its set with “Nothin’ No.”

Audience members rose from their seats to catch a better glimpse of the headliners, Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s. The band is an eight-piece indie-pop orchestral group who formed in Indianapolis. Their tour is in part to support their newest albums, “Animal!” and “Not Animal.”           

The aesthetics of their show reflected the theme of these albums. Besides intermittently placing animal masks on their faces, the band members displayed a screen behind them. On the screen was an image of the countryside, giving their performance a warm and intimate feeling.

Anton and Lewis Patzner played alongside Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s, significantly strengthening their string section.

The crowd sang along to “Skeleton Key” off the band’s 2005 album “The Dust of Retreat.” During the song, a disco ball spun, enveloping the crowd in yellow and red circles. Their sound was much fuller live, with a greater emphasis on drums and stunning trumpet.

Responding to requests for an encore, the band returned to the stage and finished the night with three songs, including “Quiet as a Mouse.” The evening ended with chaos, as the stage was overflowing with musicians raucously playing their instruments.