A full house crammed into the Biltmore Wednesday night to hear garage rockers Japandroids play tunes off their acclaimed debut full-length, Post-Nothing. It was something of a homecoming for David Prowse and Brian King, and to say that the boys’ road has had its bumps would be an understatement. The pair has felt the slow burn of exposure while also having had to halt their first major tour after just one show when King needed emergency surgery to treat a perforated ulcer. On this night though, the raw energy that is at the crux of the duo’s sound sounded as healthy as ever.

Japandroids started off with “The Boys Are Leaving Town” and “Rockers East Vancouver”; the lyrics, while minimalist, are also poignant and poetic, and merely a part of the band’s expressiveness when complemented by the body of their sound. Too often, performers are content to be statuesque, with all the intensity and belief of a postal worker on his daily route. Japandroids could not be further from this trend, and this earns them love and respect from their fans. The music has its roots in punk, garage and alt-rock, but the work Japandroids put into the moment generates their forceful character—a character that allows a guitarist and a drummer who sing to sound like so much more.

Post -Nothing is in worldwide release and the boys are set to embark on European dates before playing South By Southwest in March. With King’s medical scare behind them and having the rare fortune of being positively reviewed south of the border, Japandroids have been given a second chance at a beginning. For David Prowse and Brian King, each new day is a chance to live onstage, doing what they love with full commitment, complete gratitude and no regret.

[ed. Japandroids Fun Fact: David Prowse shares his name with the 6’7″ British strongman who is known for being both the tallest man ever to lift the 785-pound Dinnie Stones and playing Darth Vader in Star Wars.]