Moon Taxi and the Lonely Biscuits played the inaugural show at Tuscaloosa’s newest music venue, Druid City Music Hall. Housed in the same location as the late Jupiter Bar, Druid City Music Hall has been converted into a music-first venue set to pull in many famous acts.

The genre-crossing band The Lonely Biscuits opened the show bringing the energy needed for a set in a college town. Their indie instrumentals combined with hip-hop style verses rallied the youthful crowd early in the evening. They played some of their hits while also blending them with cover songs the crowd could sing a long too.

They received loud reception from the crowd when one of their original tunes twisted into a cover of the popular hit “Juicy” by Notorious B.I.G. fueled by a thumping bass line. The crowd responded very well as they announced that they would by playing many fraternity parties this fall.

 The main headliner of the night, Moon Taxi got their set off to a hot start by opening with Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall Pt. 2.” The chants of “Hey, teachers, leave those kids alone” reverberated throughout the venue as members of the crowd chanted a long with the band.

 Moon Taxi rocked many of their hits off their latest album, “Mountains Beaches Cities,” as well as a couple of gems of their previous release, “Cabaret.” Each band member brought his A-game as the volume of the show continued to increase throughout the evening. By the time they hit one of their more popular hits, “Mercury,” the crowd was incredibly energetic. University of Alabama student Garrett Watson was among the crowd and said the band put on a great show.

“They were a great choice to play the first show,” Watson said. “It honestly was one of the best live shows I have been to.”

The band also tested out some new material such as “Make Your Mind Up”, “Year Zero” and “All Day All Night” from their forthcoming album, “Daybreaker,” which releases Oct. 2. These songs transitioned well to the live stage as they were able to mimic the distinct sound of their new singles. 

Moon Taxi and The Lonely Biscuits gave Tuscaloosa something to be excited about as Druid City Music Hall grows as a venue. The proximity of the show allowed for students both on campus and off to flock to a central location. The new music hall should continue to get shows filled with students ready to hear good music.