The musicians of St. Louis don't just love performing; they love seeing others perform. And the year 2012 offered hundreds of opportunities to do just that.

Last night at Plush, fans of the Walkmen got a first-hand look at a now mature band.

The Walkmen are equally good at playing slowly and quietly as they are at full on rocking. The band demonstrated that ability to the packed Plush crowd on Thursday night.

There is beauty in black and white. The upfront rhythm of guitar, the insistence of drums and an urgent voice that is the center of a beautifully simple world; this is the sound of the Walkmen.

The Walkmen
"Heaven"
Fat Possum

The Walkmen have transcended steadily into their sound on "Heaven," with propulsive drum beats and harmonized vocals not unlike those of the Everly Brothers.

The Walkmen opened for the New Pornographers Friday, April 30 at the Blue Note in Columbia, MO.

All photos by Nate Burrell. See more at my Flickr stream.

It isn’t surprising that the Walkmen played to a sold-out audience at Off Broadway last night. The band hasn’t come through St. Louis in years, so they could reasonably expect — with the success of their latest album Lisbon — that their fan base would garner more of a following than their usual garage-rock era fans, or those who tag along because they love to hear “Rat” played live.

All photos by Tom Lampe. See more at my Flickr.

The Walkmen exemplify contrasts that work. The band innovates with vintage instruments, plays indie rock in prep school attire and sings of heartbreak and lament to beachy guitars and killer drum beats.