On March 6, the Canopy Club hosted a trio of buzzworthy indie acts – from local scene upstarts Tall Tale to the Chambana-bred and nationally acclaimed Headlights. Rounding out the bill, and adding a touch of foreign spice to its Illinois flavor, was co-headliner Evangelicals from Oklahoma.

The show opened with a strong eight song set from Tall Tale, a U of I student band that has built a loyal following since its inception in August. Seizing the opportunity to showcase its brand of piano-driven, power-pop in front of a larger crowd, Tall Tale performed admirably – with female lead vocalists Tracey Morrison and Tricia Scully trading off verses and sharing the choruses on most songs. Although the group was at its best on upbeat, chorus-driven tracks such as “No Time to Hide,” “Never Knew” and “Pirate Ship,” slower songs “Your Hat” and “Undertow” gave the two singers a chance to make their smooth voices shine over sleepy melodies. Despite a slight lag in pace toward the middle, by the end of up-tempo closing track “Tango” not even the spotlights could compare to the innocent enthusiasm radiated by each member up on stage.

Set List (provided by Tall Tale)

No Time to Hide
Never Knew
Apology
New Song (untitled)
Your Hat
Undertow
Pirate Ship
Tango

Next to take the stage were Pitchfork darlings Evangelicals, a synth-heavy indie rock group touring in support of its recently released second album “The Evening Descends.” After listening to its two studio records several times in the weeks leading up to the show, I had developed an impression of the band as treading precariously on the fine line separating style from substance. And from the moment the members took the stage, it was immediately clear which side its live show resides on. From the fog machine spewing out a dense cloud of smoke over the Canopy crowd, to the black light illuminating a glowing image on the cape worn by bassist/keyboardist Kyle Davis, Evangelicals seemed determined to put on a “show” in every sense of the word.

Oh, and they played some music, too. Although a little out place stylistically next to Tall Tale and Headlights, Evangelicals’ androgynous lead singer Josh Jones captivated the audience with his unique outfit and often unintelligible, high-pitched vocals. Although at times it was difficult to tell whether his coughing laugh into the mic was an artistic choice or a reaction to the cloud of smoke encompassing the stage, his falsetto nicely complemented the harp-like guitar strumming on “Skeleton Man” and oddball electronic effects on “How Do You Sleep?” Ultimately, like Jones’ choreographed crowd surfing adventure, Evangelicals sometimes threatened to collapse under all the gimmicks, but in the end new bursts of originality were always there to lift them back up (along with the occasional help from a few strong audience members).

Once the fog had cleared, the stage was set up to accommodate local favorites Headlights. On this particular evening the group was celebrating the release of “Some Racing, Some Stopping,” its second full-length record through Champaign-based Polyvinyl Records. Even though the musicians entered to the loudest mixture of cheers and applause heard that night, the group started into “Get Yer Head Around It” with little fanfare of its own. Continuing with a stacked set list of newer cuts (“Market Girl,” “School Boys,” “Cherry Tulips”) and older mainstays (“Owl Eyes,” “Lions,” “TV”), Headlights soon succeeded in replacing the lingering smell of smoke with the sweet fragrance of a Midwestern meadow.

Perhaps the greatest thing about Headlights is the band’s ability, especially in a live setting, to generate lush layers of sound from deceptively simple arrangements. Drummer Brett Sanderson and guitarists John Owen and Tristan Wraight join with Erin Fein’s keyboard to produce rolling rhythms that gently swell together and never threaten to overtake each other. In addition, singers Fein and Wraight certainly know how to use their warm voices to full effect, their lyrics often dissolving into soothing “ooooo” harmonies and “ba da da” refrains that entrance the listener without ever lulling them to sleep. As a result, the band creates beautiful, feel-good melodies that effortlessly swirl in the air above you for a moment (and in your head for days).

Set List (provided by Headlights)

Get Yer Head Around It
Market Girl
Centuries
Towers
School Boys
So Much For The Afternoon
Some Racing, Some Stopping
Catch Them All
Cherry Tulips
Owl Eyes
TV
Your Old Street
Lions
Put Us Back Together Right
It Isn’t Easy To Live That Well

Summary Haiku:
Tall Tale are no lie.
Evangelicals preached glam.
Headlights shone brightly.