as a twenty year-old college student, i have a hard time imagining what it would be like to raise a child and watch it grow into an adult. i do, however, love watching a band i like mature as musicians.

Last night I had the pleasure of seeing Fleet Foxes. They played two back to back shows yesterday at Washington DC’s 9:30 Club, both of which sold out (the venue can fit about 1,000 people). This is a huge feat considering they released their first full-length album only a year ago. It’s even more huge considering the fact that their last tour was the first time they had ever toured beyond Portland. They were still travelling in a small van for this year’s South By Southwest Festival.

A rise that fast can be a lot for a band to handle, but if Fleet Foxes were under pressure, they certainly didn’t show it. Even after playing just a few hours before, their opening of “Sun It Rises” was breathtaking- they nailed the vocal harmonies, and the club’s sound system added a surprising wave of bass that hit in all the right places. The whole audience could barely contain itself to wait for the end of the song before they burst into applause.

This wasn’t the only time people had trouble containing themselves throughout the show either. As drummer JOSH TILMAN pointed out, it was “a rowdy crowd.” Since the Fleet Foxes didn’t take the stage for the second show until about midnight, people had plenty of time to get their drink on and it showed. In between every single song there were obnoxious shouts from all parts of the club yelling everything from cliche impressions of Dave Chappelle’s impression of Little John (WHAT?! YEEAAAAH!) to “there’s a snake in my boot!” The Fleet Foxes handled the rowdiness like champs, and responded with their own light-hearted, witty banter, keeping everything in good fun. Towards the end of the set, singer Robin Pecknold even braved the crowd by himself with two solo songs. I could tell his voice was a little strained, but he just chugged down his water and belted a beautiful version of “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song.”

And while the crowd may have been a little tough to handle in between songs, everyone listened when Fleet Foxes started to play. It takes a lot of bands a long time to learn how to captivate an audience as big as the one at the 9:30 club, especially twice in a night. Some never figure it out. And yet with only one album under their belt and very little touring experience, Fleet Foxes could make a club full of drunks feel like a church sermon. They may be beginners on the scene, but they play like passionate veterans.