Packing Auditorium Shores Friday night for the Coca-Cola Sips & Sounds Music Festival, the crowd cheered as American alternative rock band Grouplove took the stage. Dressed in all black, the group performed against a matching backdrop stamped with “Grouplove” in white, stripping away distractions to focus squarely on the music.
Formed in 2009, Grouplove — made up of Hannah Hooper, Christian Zucconi, Benjamin Homola, Andrew Wessen and Daniel Gleason — built a devoted following with their 2011 breakout album Never Trust a Happy Song. Blending euphoric melodies with lyrics that wrestle with love, loss and growing up, the band creates a tension that feels both celebratory and reflective.
Despite the crowd pressing toward the barricade, the outdoor setup left enough room to move, jump and dance without feeling crushed. That freedom shaped the set’s energy from the start.
Opening with a roar with the explosive, “Just What You Want,” vocalist Hooper and vocalist/ rhythm guitarist Zucconi — who are married — sharing a playful dance break during the instrumentals, chemistry radiating across the crowd.
Without losing momentum, the band charged into “Deleter,” Hooper whipping her hair in time with Homola’s pulsing drums. “Borderlines and Aliens” followed, highlighted by a sharp guitar solo from lead guitarist Wessen.
Before the next song, Hooper paused, addressing the audience.
“How are you guys doing tonight Austin?” Hooper asked. “We’ve been playing South By for like … a hundred years, but we’ve never played a show like this, this is beautiful.”
“Hannah, you’re beautiful,” Zucconi chimed in, drawing a chorus of awes.
“Aw, thank you,” Hooper responded. “Should everyone come in from the water though? Let’s get out of the water, it’s a ‘Shark Attack!’”
“Shark Attack” balanced pulsing verses with explosive choruses, flowing into the equally high-energy “Ways to Go.” As Zucconi sang, “Back in the 90s, I was in a very famous TV show,” fans erupted, recognizing the song’s connection to the animated Netflix series “BoJack Horseman.”
Slowing things down with “Don’t Say Oh Well,” a song about when the band first met, gives the set a softer, more intimate moment. Hooper then asked how many artists were in the crowd.
“You are the only person that can make your art, seriously, it’s a gift,” Hooper said. “The more you get to know yourself, the nicer you are, the better friends you’ll have, the closer you’ll be to your family… If you wanna smoke a joint, go to your best friend’s house, make some art, that’s even better. But for now, let’s do that. Thank you for inviting us over.”
That sentiment flowed into their biggest hit, “Tongue Tied,” sparking the loudest singalong of the night. With lyrics about friendship and fleeting youth, the song’s carefree spirit resonated with a crowd eager to hold onto that feeling.
“Don’t take me tongue-tied/ Don’t wave no goodbye/ Don’t take me tongue-tied/ Don’t kiss me goodnight/ Don’t, oh.”
Keeping the energy surging with a lively cover of “Twist and Shout” by The Beatles before closing with fan favorites “Raspberry” and “Colours,” Zucconi tossed his guitar into the air.
Nearly two decades into their career, Grouplove continues to command a stage with both chaos and control— celebrating joy while making space for something deeper underneath.
