From the floorboards to the flies...

One week ago tonight Scott and I went to see The Decemberists at The Tabernacle. I first heard this band earlier this year and instantly loved their style. I’m not much for describing the sound of a band. When describing what kind of music a band plays I tend to do that thing where I list a couple of other bands that don’t sound alike at all. “Uh, they’re like early David Bowie meets Rush with a touch of zydeco.” I hate when people do that to me, so I try not to do it to others. (For the record, Bowie/Rush/zydeco is not how I would describe The Decemberists.) The Decemberists don’t really remind me of any other band. I’m sure someone with a more musical ear could tell me they sound like so-and-so and then I’d start to hear it, but for me the stories in the songs are so absorbing that the music takes a back seat the first few listens. I’m not saying the music is bad because, oh, it’s great. I’m just saying if you can write songs about lonely legionnaires, chimbley sweeps, disaffected gigolos, adolescent royalty, etc. and not come off as silly and pretentious, well you’ve got me hooked without having to write a note of actual music. On to the show…

The opening act was Sons and Daughters. They were not bad. I can say without hesitation that they are the best Scottish rock band I’ve ever seen in concert. Their drummer was especially good. Their bass player was a stoic young lady in the most absolutely plain scarlet dress you can imagine. It’s hard to make a dress that color and not have it stand out for its redness. (Great! I’m trying to write about a concert and I’ve turned into Mr. Blackwell.) The lead guitarist had the voice of James Earl Jones and the body of Dustin Diamond. The lead vocalist had a great stage presence. If Quentin Tarantino ever needs an American version of The 5,6,7,8s in a movie, this chick would fit the bill.

As for The Decemberists, I wasn’t expecting much. I figured they’d be a bit reserved yet enjoyable, but, man, they were great. They sounded perfect during the slow songs, they were dynamic during the up tempo stuff, and incredibly funny and charming between songs. I was not expecting the energy that poured from the stage. At times it felt like they were 10 year-olds trying their best to get the grown-ups to laugh and clap for them, but that’s not a very fair description because it was much more care free than that. They were truly having a good time and so was the audience.

Petra Haden tours with The Decemberists and she took me by surprise too. I guess I had pegged her as a strange performance artist type. She was the most subdued person on stage, but never distracted from the others’ liveliness. She is also incredibly cute, something else I was not expecting.

A good way to judge how great a concert was is to ask your self if you’d see them again. Most concerts I’ve seen I always leave thinking I’d see them again next time they come around. I left The Decemberists show thinking I’d see them again tomorrow.

The set list:
The Tain
We Both Go Down Together
Leslie Anne Levine
The Bachelor & The Bride
Eli, the Barrow Boy
Of Angels and Angles
The Sporting Life
July, July
The Engine Driver
On the Bus Mall
16 Military Wives
The Mariner's Revenge Song

Encore:
Mr. Blue Sky (ELO)
I Was Meant for the Stage

Some guy’s photos from the show. Somebody else's photos from the show.

Scott had this to say.