Pat Duffy, formerly of Pop Tarts Suck Toasted (RIP), checks in for us! For most of Sunday, the B stage was the place to be. Not only was it the shadiest of the three stages, it also had lush lawns for sitting and some of the best up-and-coming buzz bands around. Balance Stage also had the least amount of room to handle the crowds that came to see these buzz bands making the trek into and out of the area a bit daunting for anyone trying to catch acts on the other two stages. That forced my hand, making me miss bands like Local Natives, Here We Go Magic, and the stage’s headliner – Sleigh Bells. Luckily I did manage to catch my boys, Surfer Blood. Okay, they’re not just my boys but after playing my CMJ show last October I like to think of them that way. Anyway, Surfer Blood has really perfected their surf rocking sound in all the time they’ve spent on tour lately. They have taken what was a messy but fun sound and cleaned it up a bit, keeping the rocking elements but getting rid of any sloppiness that might have plagued them early on. Still sticking to the tunes from their breakout record Astro Coast and those tunes are still enough to excite the crowd. It’s pretty amazing considering how far Surfer Blood has come in just a couple of months. From a CMJ set at the tiny Cake Shop to a slot at a massive festival, and considering all the growth in their performance there’s no telling where these guys will go. For Surfer Blood the sky is the limit, no we just have to see if they can follow-up their debut with something as good or better. Slutty Pop Tarts Rating: 8.6.

View more photos & download a Surfer Blood tune AFTER THE JUMP…

MP3: Surfer Blood – Swim