The Dirty Guv’nahs worked a miracle at the 506 Thursday night; the place was only half full, but they had that half packed against the stage, slopping PBR at frontman James Trimble, singing along, and basically acting like the complete opposite of the usual Chapel Hill hipper-than-thou crowd. And with good reason: not only is Trimble a phenomenal songwriter, and 2010’s Youth Is In Our Blood a phenomenally powerful album, but he is one of the more magnetic lead singers I’ve seen in a while.

He’s backed by a band that does their job to a note: hold down the beat, lay Garth Hudson organ parts all over the saddest quietest parts, and stay out of Trimble’s way while he spins across the stage, throwing his hands up and out, tambourine against his hip all the while. They played heavily from YIIOB, which was fine with me, because I can’t stop listening to it, and they sounded fantastic. Fun to shoot, fun to listen to, fun to dance my ass off to. One of my favorite discoveries of this year, and I was thrilled to discover that they’re even better live than they are recorded.

The Guv’nahs are currently working on, or at least getting ready to work on, their third album, probably due out sometime next summer. Pick up Youth Is In Our Blood now, or a whole bunch of superenthusiastic frat boys are going to beat you to the punch in loving these guys.

Vintage Trouble opened, and think that lovely neo-soul revival crossed with early early Stones; they wore suits, they shook their asses, and their drummer made faces at me. I missed most of their set, but I liked what I heard, and I’ll be going to see them again. I am also declaring my new nickname to be Vintage Trouble.

Full set from last night is here.