Mew September 19, the Sayers Club.

Of the several Bunkhouse Series shows announced for the Sayers Club, the one featuring Danish rock act Mew’s Vegas debut wasn’t the obvious blockbuster. But upon the announcement of the concert cluster, the show had already sold the most advance tickets.

That fan fervor continued Saturday night and through the quintet’s hour-long set. After supporting—and solidly performing—indie duo The Dodos’ set, Mew came on guns blazing with opener “Witness,” filling the room with whoa-along choruses, multiple breakneck rhythms and power chords—thanks to what might be the most crisp and clear sound system in town—and augmented by mesmerizing LED strips behind the band. Two more danceable rockers—“Satellites” (which established early on that Mew’s recent +- album improves when heard live) and irresistible chestnut “Special”—nearly set a pattern for strident but ethereal anthemry, the former rooted in guitarist Mads Wegner’s jabbing, post-punk chord progressions and Silas Jørgensen’s driving drums, and the latter a manifestation of the band’s nuanced, prog-lite tendencies, Nick Watts’ symphonic keys and Jonas Bjerre’s impossibly high vocal range recalling Sigur Ros. In the overlap of those two rock aesthetics, Mew demonstrated it could handle sudden tempo changes with the precision of flocking birds, especially during “Sometimes Life Isn’t Easy” and “Rows.”

Aside from a mid-set medley, the band more or less re-created its recordings, albeit with vigor and charm. It was one of those rare nights when it felt like everything went right.