Upon arriving at the Mohawk on Sept. 9, I had to squeeze my way through the moderately large crowd that had accumulated to get a good spot to catch the opening act: Small Black.

The set was a refreshing combination of old and new tracks. The upbeat tempo, intricate layers of synth, echoed drums and soft high-pitched lo-fi vocals similar to Craft Spells put the viewers in the spirit to dance to what was to come.

Josh Kolenik, lead vocalist, did an excellent job of engaging the crowd and porting his subtle pop sound with his fairly flamboyant dance moves.

Those who weren’t initially fans of Small Black instantly fell in love with the group after seeing them live.

“It was sick,” said freshman Ali Stephens. “Their performance was flawless and the band was so in sync, it was surreal.”

    The main act, Washed Out, opened with a din chord for Ernest Greene, lead vocalist, to walk out to. Once he was in sight, the venue was in awe.

Following proper performance etiquette, he bellowed over the din chord.

“Hello Austin! How are y’all doin’ tonight?” said Greene.

Greene then transitioned the sustaining chord into “It All Feels Right,” a popular track off their new album, “Paracosm.” The track was a great intro to get the crowd swaying. He pulled out his Martin acoustic guitar for this track (which fit so perfectly with the silly-sounding tones echoing from the synthesizer) and began to let out his beautiful moan that the crowd is so fond of.

The peak of the show was when Greene performed “Weightless:” a sentimental track off their newest album about unrequited love. His soft voice, the ambient key and slow tempo made the performance substantially intimate. The elongated echoed vocals, acoustic guitar and dreamy undertones are similar to that of M83’s sound.

Washed Out ended with a caustic rendition of “Armor Fati,” which was elegantly executed. Shortly following the finale, the sweaty, dedicated fans weren’t going to let Washed Out off stage that easily. They screamed and applauded expressing their desire for more.

The band proceeded to jump back on stage for an encore which included “Hold Out” and “Eyes Be Closed.” The relaxed aura of the swaying crowd slowly drained the venue and raised hands steadily began to fall as the band closed out their set.

Washed Out is a must-see live performance.

Follow Natalia on Twitter @nattiegonzalez1