Portland rockers Viva Voce brought their sensual rock and roll to the Loft at UCSD on Thursday. The duo — comprised of the married Kevin Robinson and Anita Robinson — took to the stage following a set of hushed, delicate folk by Damien Jurado. Assisted by a backing track, Viva Voce treated the crowd to several songs from their upcoming album, The Future Will Destroy You. The new compositions fit well with the band’s previous work, blending seamlessly with performances of classics like “Alive With Pleasure” and “Believer.”

The pair sounded great — despite the ailing Kevin Robinson being propped up by copious amounts of cold medicine — but the stuffy Loft was an ill-suited choice of venue. Viva Voce are a band that should be listened to loudly, not at the Loft’s low, people-are-studying volumes. The Robinsons even jokingly complimented the sedated crowd on its “civility” before being rushed off the stage by 10:30. By the time they did finish their set, though, the reliably awesome Viva Voce were just getting warmed up. Check out the photos.