Plains at Green Room, January 19

Miami band Plains' first year of existence was defined by a certain elusiveness. The group, led by frontman Michael McGinnis, dropped gem after indie-rock gem to the internet hordes but largely held back from saturating the live circuit. The focus on writing and recording meant that the group's self-titled debut...

By Arielle Castillo

January 19, 2012

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Miami band Plains' first year of existence was defined by a certain elusiveness. The group, led by frontman Michael McGinnis, dropped gem after indie-rock gem to the internet hordes but largely held back from saturating the live circuit. The focus on writing and recording meant that the group's self-titled debut was clearly the work of love and careful thought. With a no-nonsense, straight-up '90s-style sound, it is a smart collection of wistful, melodic, jangly guitar jams that stand up to any other national release of its ilk. Unsurprisingly, in just the first month of 2012, the group has scored an opening slot for Dinosaur Jr. at Miami's Grand Central on January 23, which could push its profile higher. That makes its show just before that, on Thursday at Green Room, a must for what could be one of the band's last properly intimate shows.

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