This is everything you need to know about Stardeath and White Dwarfs. (Photo: TBD Staff)

The phrase "stole the show" is invariably a compliment. A performer in a secondary role outperforms the headliner, and because we Americans always root for the underdog — except when we have a stake in the outcome, which we often do — we applaud this unexpected performance. But a performer — in this case, a rock band — can also steal the show in a less praiseworthy way. Exhibit A: Stardeath and White Dwarfs, who opened for Aussie psych-rockers Tame Impala last night at the Black Cat. The former is a four-piece from Oklahoma that, if I am to trust Wikipedia, has toured with Deerhoof, Starlight Mints, and The Flaming Lips; its lead singer, Dennis Coyne, also happens to be the nephew of Lips frontman Wayne Coyne, which explains a lot about what I saw last night.

Guess which of these two articles of clothing Coyne was wearing: a black jacket with tassels running from wrist to wrist, or big furry boots like those worn by middling Hollywood stars at Sundance.

Answer: both.

Gestures used to show off the tassels: pointing, windmilling, spread-eagling, and even chicken-winging.

Visibility at center stage whenever the fog machine was activated: Three feet, at best.

Even more aggressive than the fog: the bank of flashing lights behind the band.

Ratio, at one point, of concert-goers in my vicinity with cameraphones aloft: Seven out of 10, not including me; I was the eighth.

Song title also emblazoned on a T-shirt at the merch table: "Smoking Pot Makes Me Not Want to Kill Myself."

Number of people who seemed to confuse the fog with pot smoke, as they continued inhaling deeply and coughing: two.

Highest chorus lyric: "Marry Mary Jane."

The reason I haven't mentioned Stardeath's music yet: obvious.

"Most Obscured Face on a Guitarist" winner: Tame Impala's Dominic Simper over Stardeath's Ford Chastain — by a hair. Ba-dum.

"Lamest Instrument" winner: Chastain's clear acrylic guitar.

"Coolest Instrument" winner: Tame Impala singer Kevin Parker's kazoo.

The soft modesty of low expectations: "I didn't expect this many people to come out, so this is fucking awesome," said Parker.

Why I expected this many people: "Best New Music."

Number of extended psych-outs in Tame Impala's set: too many to count.

Number of times these felt overlong: zero.

Number of times the stage was doused in fog or bright lights: zero.

Number of times I noticed, until now: zero.