When was the last time you yearned for some honest-to-goodness indie rock and roll at SXSW? With the focus on the electronic and the experimental — The Orange County quintet Young the Giant essentially broke this year’s mold with an enthusiastic rock showcase.

Championed by the seemingly ceiling-less vocals of Sameer Gadhia, these clean-cut youngsters delivered an energetic performance at SXSW’s ultimate tongue-twister venue — Billboard Bungalow at Buffalo Billiards.

Gadhia commanded control of the stage with his ability to project soaring, anthemic vocals and charismatic body language. He alternated back and forth between two microphones — one of them an old-style mic that seems to be becoming their trademark (seen in the “My Body” music video).

The band played a handful of old tunes and a few from their forthcoming debut album, due on shelves in May. If you weren’t able to stay out late enough to catch them, they’ll be doing a show at the IFC Crossroads House on Thursday at 1 p.m.

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