It’s not hard to tell apart bands have been on tour for a while. They’re grizzled, road-tested, maybe a little darker under the eyes than last time you saw them. Their performances are tighter, with impeccable timing, perfected playlists, and masterful stage presence. There is no better process, especially for an up-and-coming band, than to perform night after night in front of a crowd—most of which may be completely unfamiliar to you. After 18 months of crisscrossing the country, Desert Noises and Timmy the Teeth returned to Provo’s Velour Live Music Gallery (a venue they last appeared at almost a year ago) on Friday, for a two-night engagement to record a new live album.The venue wasn’t nearly as packed as I expected (maybe due to the fact that the recording was taking place over two nights). Other than a few rowdier concert-goers, the crowd seemed fairly subdued, considering the occasion and the act. But as usual, Velour itself didn’t fail to deliver. A clean venue with great sound and a surrounding visual feast that makes one feel like they’ve been dropped into an I SPY book, the Provo performance cathedral remains one of my favorite places in the whole state of Utah.While the crowd may have not been at 100 percent, energy was not an issue for the boys who call Utah County home. In fact, despite Desert Noises being on the road so long, this may have been the most lively I have ever seen them. They kicked the whole thing off with the driving “Grandma Looks” off their 2014 release, 27 Ways, which heavily featured throughout the show. From song one, it was apparent how polished Desert Noises had gotten since I had seen them in May at the Rooftop Concert Series. Don’t get me wrong, they were good then, but on Friday night they were on fucking point.One can’t talk about Noises without freaking out over lead guitarist Patrick Boyer. Every time that man jumps into his mini guitar solos, I feel like I need a fucking cigarette. This band, more than any other that I can think of locally, takes advantage of show-stopping guitar solos—and they’re better, and more rock n’ fucking roll, for it. But that’s the obvious observation. Anyone with ears and an appreciation for goodness can recognize how awesome Boyer is, and how effectively they use these moments. What stuck out to me on Friday was how brilliant bassist Tyler Osmond was. Not so much on bass, though he was great there, but his backup vocals, his harmonies with the always fantastic Kyle Henderson, added so much depth and were so spot on, I caught myself almost holding my breath in anticipation of hearing them.The near 90-minute performance featured a few new songs, most of the 27 Ways album and some from Mountain Sea, like fan favorites “Hey Ah” and my favorite Noises song, “Oak Tree.” A great moment was Henderson giving love to McKay Stevens and Josh James (who had featured on drums for Timmy the Teeth earlier in the evening), both of whom being instrumental in their success to this point.

What stuck out to me was how well-paced the whole performance was. The band took Velour through a series of peaks and valleys. At one point, Boyer and drummer Brennan Allen exited the stage to leave Henderson and Osmond to a few slower tracks. The whole thing wrapped up with a stunning performance of “Angels,” a slow-brewing bluesy track from 27 Ways that builds to a towering guitar solo from Boyer that had the entire room shaking. It’s a moment that splendidly illustrates Desert Noises’ roots, and why they are such a well-respected, well-received group—followed by the foot-stompin’, bluegrass-inspired barn burner “Dime in My Pocket,” which also closes out Ways.

I could not think of a better ending, and despite the crowd calling for an encore, I left on that note. It was a near-perfect performance from one of the hottest, and now road-tested, bands around at Velour. Honestly, how could it have been better?