Hipster bar mitzvah. A cool-kids-only prom. Stadiums with gaggles of screaming teenaged girls. These are the places one can imagine Piedmont-popsters Dizzy Balloon playing in the near future. Now if they only didn’t have to go to college.

On Sunday afternoon at Bottom of the Hill, Dizzy Balloon took the stage after three opening acts that included The Hounds Below (the latest band of The Von Bondies frontman Jason Stollsteimer) and watched anyone between the ages of 19 and 45 flock politely to the exits. Lucky for the band, Dizzy Balloon’s rabid following of teen and tween girls and their parental supervision stepped right in, ready to squeal and dance.

Musically, Dizzy Balloon is a grandchild of the early Beatles. The band’s impeccable songs about young love are unapologetically poppy and infectious. It certainly doesn’t hurt that they look like they belong on the cover of an indie Tiger Beat. Lead singer Petros A.P. looks like a Jonas Brother, bassist Raffi Peterson looks like a hotter Rivers Cuomo, and keyboardist Joey Orton could pass for Jared Leto.

Dizzy Balloon’s energetic and airtight set showed why they were crowned the champs of the Not So Silent Night 2008 local band competition and why they’ve got a bright future. “F------g shake your feet!” Orton asked the crowd before they launched into a raucous version of “Raise A Glass.” Is there anything more charming than dropping a harmless f-bomb or two in a room full of 12 year olds?


SETLIST:
Seeing Stars
Chinatown
Jasmine
A Little Note
Again My Friend
Carry On
Typical Night
Crazy Jane
What Can I Do?
Raise A Glass

Encore:
Let It Out
I Want You Back, by Jackson 5