Early in the spring semester house shows are always a welcome way to relieve Ohio winter cabin fever. The cramped room full of warm bodies dancing to live music becomes an oasis, a temporary tropical paradise for students. For a couple of hours the cheap cans of beer are refreshing and hint at the glory that will come with longer days and more sunshine.

This past Friday, a Main Street apartment hosted Grizzly Bear and The Pacemaker, two New York bands that jerked us out of those hibernating blues. A donation of a couple dollars to help the bands pay for gas (standard fare at such venues) got you into a packed living room where people anxiously waited for the music to begin. It was decided that Grizzly Bear, the main attraction, should go first since they are quieter than The Pacemaker; this way the cops wouldn’t be called before both bands performed.

Grizzly Bear is a Brooklyn-based rock band whose debut album, “Horn of Plenty,” is currently available on Kanine Records. With their folk-rock experimentation, melodious multi-instrument riffs and harmonized vocal lines, the band appeals to fans of artists like Sufjan Stevens, who graced the ’Sco late last semester. Grizzly Bear’s work has delectably unassuming lyrics and unpretentious overall presentation. The band is often compared to Animal Collective, but unlike a lot of Animal Collective songs that are occasionally too rich and dense (however beautiful), Grizzly Bear is sweet and simple. Each song has just enough build up to keep your hips shifting and head nodding.

After a disappointingly short set, Grizzly Bear made way for The Pacemaker. Besides front-man Zach Weber, an Oberlin senior, band members had arrived from various locations around New York, assembling in Oberlin especially for this show. Again, there is a quick and easy comparison to be made: Pacemaker vocals and instrumentation resemble early Modest Mouse: not too small of a feat. True to their name, the band picked up the pace in the room. There was a little moshing, Oberlin-style. (No offense to Obies, but moshing at shows outside this school is much more rough and tough.) Most of you have probably experienced such roughhousing, but if you haven’t, don’t be upset and come back crying when someone elbows you in the chest or stomps on your toes.

Finally, The Pacemaker was rushed offstage to accommodate an Oberlin student band. Despite the fact that I recognized some familiar faces onstage, this seemed selfish to me. Here were two bands, primarily from out of town, and they had to cut their sets short for a student gig. In ideal circumstances there would be enough time for all.

After last semester’s packed line-up of great shows, this visit from Grizzly Bear and The Pacemaker was a promising way to begin the new semester. What’s in store for this spring? Many different organizations are planning furiously. Visiting artist Meredith Monk will perform this Saturday, and the annual Hip-Hop conference is coming up. There will be flyers for such things all over campus, so keep your eyes peeled like a snooty Queen’s grapes.