Kevin Bronson on January 30th, 2011

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When the Vaccines landed in Los Angeles last Tuesday, the young British quartet brought a satchel of catchy songs and a few suitcases of hype. That baggage – they were, after all, trumpeted on the cover of NME as “The Return of the Great British Guitar Band – proved burdensome to most who witnessed their 31-minute set at the Satellite.

Not that Justin Young and bandmates did anything to shame themselves. Their music was as advertised: crisp, churning flashes of guitar bands past (the Beatles, the Zombies, the Ramones, the Strokes), and they were handsome and amiable. At night’s end, though, it felt far easier to despise the whole notion of Next-Big-Thing than fall head-over-heels for the Vaccines. Yeah, I know, look who’s talking.

• ||| Photos by Debi Del Grande

The Vaccines’ front-loaded set included the undeniable “Wreckin’ Bar (Ra Ra Ra)” and “Post Break-Up Sex,” as well a nugget called “We Are Happening.” In the latter, Young sings, “Don’t pretend you don’t give a f*ck / because we are happening,” but were they, really? Unlike the memorable L.A. debuts of such bands as the Libertines, Franz Ferdinand, Editors, Kaiser Chiefs and Arctic Monkeys – all of whom roared with we-know-you’ll-like-this swagger – the Vaccines delivered their set as if they hoped you’d like it. Twenty-four minutes in, with “Blow It Up,” was the moment they actually came closest to doing so.

It would’ve helped, of course, if the Satellite crowd had not been so industry-heavy (guesstimate: 50%); a band will take fans over looky-loos anytime. Still, though, the Vaccines’ drive-by on Silver Lake Boulevard revealed only that the band – less than a year old, mind you, with an album due later this year on a friendly neighborhood major label – are off to a very good start. Reservations in the pantheon will have to wait.