Selling out any club is impressive, and hitting the breaking point at one of the city's most popular venues is no small feat. So when the mainstage of the Black Cat hit capacity on Saturday night, nobody was more surprised than the three young men who make up Jukebox the Ghost (***). Upon taking the stage, drummer Jesse Kirstin turned as white as a sheet and singer/keyboardist Ben Thornewill asked (only half-jokingly), "Who are you people?"

This sort of pressure cooker situation could either freeze a a young act in their tracks or inspire them to step up their game. Fortunately for the 700+ people crammed into the Black Cat, Jukebox the Ghost lived up to their reputation as one of the best new bands in the District and put on the performance of their lives.

The crowd already knew many of the songs, including some of the tracks on the brand new Live and Let Ghosts, thus turning much of the night into a giant sing-a-long. Songs like "Victoria, off their EP, drew the loudest reception, but one of the most telling moments of the night was when they revealed an unknown song mid-set which sounded just as impressive as the tunes that everyone knew by heart.

Photo by Greg Magee

These guys can deliver with flair. Kirstin provided a steady anchor as singer/guitarist Tommy Siegel took advantage of being the only mobile band member to use up as much of the stage as possible while ripping into his guitar. But the master of the stage was Thornewill, who can introduce songs about lighting himself on fire with a straight face before contorting it dramatically as he sings and plays the keyboards with lightning quickness. It seems that Thornewill took notes during the band's stint last October opening for Travis Morrison, because his stage presence is surprisingly similar to that of the former Dismemberment Plan frontman.

Jukebox the Ghost also had the benefit of having very strong openers. Since the show officially sold out during Bellman Barker's set, they stepped up their game as well, playing much of their Anise & Anisette EP. First opener Pash also had a particularly strong showing, especially at the end of their set when they covered the Zutons' "Valerie" and finished their set with a few special onstage guests. Bruner-Yang and Pash bassist Ryan McLaughlin rivaled Thornewill and Siegel as the most energetic performers of the night, as they thrashed across the Black Cat stage.

Pash singer Merideth Munoz also made another guest appearance during the Jukebox the Ghost set along with Exit Clov guitarist Aaron Leeder, who contributed to their cover of "The End" by the Beatles. It was a strong ending to their set and fan favorite "Good Day" proved to be the perfect encore. While this is an easy show to point to and say, "These guys have arrived", the more stunning conclusion from this night is that Jukebox the Ghost can draw a crowd of that size and deliver on those heightened expectations.