Turn the Beat Around: Tilly and the Wall

TILLY AND THE WALL is in trouble. The first leg of the Nebraska-based band's tour has, as of this writing, been hobbled.

"We have a flat tire," says Jamie Presnall, the band's percussionist (she dons a pair of tap shoes to provide rhythmic flair). "And we just discovered that our tour van's spare is also flat. This has never happened before." She spoke with Express while guitarist Derek Presnall field-doctored the wheel.

The co-ed group came together in 2001 with Jamie Presnall, singer Neely Jenkins and bass guitarist and lead vocalist Kianna Alarid. Guitarist Derek Presnall and keyboardist Nick White rounded out the sound.

"There's a punk vibe about our sound," says Presnall. "We sample some; I tap some. It's nice to not sound exactly like the album tracks."

Tilly and the Wall's teen-pop has matured, but its commitment to whimsy remains strong. The band recorded a new version of the ABC song for "Sesame Street"; the single "Pot Kettle Black" is a punchy anthem about trash-talking during recess.

For its latest album, "O," the band employed a team of stompers for added percussive swell. And for the tour, it's enlisted a lighting artist. The kids are playing up there, but they aren't just playing around.

"As we've gotten more confident as writers and performers, adding more choreography, like the stomp team, has made a nice impact on our music. After all, you want it to be a show."

» Black Cat, 1811 14th St NW.; with The Ruby Suns, Exit Clov, Sat., 9 p.m., $13; 800-551-7328. (U St.-Cardozo)

Written by Express contributor Christopher Correa

Photos by Tony Bonacci