By Stephanie Roush

I think we might be in the midst of an inflating indie rock bubble. Sort of like the housing bubble of the late 2000s, only instead of subprime mortgages, we have subprime bands. If indeed we are in a bubble, then Lord Huron is definitely part of its recent inflation. The accessible, bright melodies and compositions of Lord Huron are good enough to sell out a Terminal 5 show, but it makes me wonder whether their success comes from the music itself or from their ability to bridge the gap between indie rock and pop music.

Don’t get me wrong, it was a fun show. The audience was full of slightly nerdy couples between the ages of 15 and 30 exchanging kisses on the cheek in the quieter moments between songs. There was some stomp clapping and hip swaying from audience on the ground floor, but the general vibe of the show was one of casual indifference. After about three songs I knew that I never need to see them again live.

Musically, the band shined most on songs from their new album, Strange Trails, which came out a little less than a month ago. Songs like “Fool for Love” and “Dead Man’s Hand” sounded tight, well-rehearsed and for a few fleeting moments made me to forget I was in such an ill-suited venue for a rock show. The daunting size of Terminal 5 makes it hard for any band to connect with their audience, especially a band using acoustic guitars that eschews banter with the crowd.

To have a successful rock show at Terminal 5 any band needs to have a strong stage presence, not just a dedicated fanbase. To Lord Huron’s credit they did put on a good show, just not a great one.