Howler

At least Howler’s wunderkind frontman, Jordan Gatesmith, is putting his talent where his mouth is. His scrappy, snarky, punchy pop/punk band has really gotten its live act together just a year after forming, adding to the buzz generated by its half-great Rough Trade Records debut, “America Give Up.” The Minneapolis quintet earned favorable receptions at last month’s South by Southwest fest and on its winter trek to the U.K., where the band will returns after a brief hometown layover. Fellow southsiders Teenage Moods open along with moody Duluth teenager Jack Campbell. Chris Riemenschneider