Paper Lions

If there's one thing you can say with certainty about Paper Lions, it's that they're dedicated. Since their beginning in the P.E.I. music scene in the early 2000s, the Beatles-inspired four-piece have worked their way up from forgettable club band to one of the best live acts in the country. It's hard to think of a pop group any tighter than the MacPhee brothers and company, let alone one as fully in command of their instruments. Starting things off with the Fleet Foxes-esque harmonies of "Philadelphia," the band played standout hits from their previous albums, primarily last year's At Long Creek EP, stopping only occasionally to compliment the crowd and play samples from their upcoming full-length. Culminating with the yacht rock-inspired "My Friend," singer John MacPhee bounded from the stage with mic in hand, weaving through the sparse crowd as he sang before back tracking for the band's explosive finale. Almost ten years into their career, tonight's performance felt like Paper Lions were finally maturing into a band worth more than their hype.