Sleep around the clock
Last night was a great night for pop music.
I got there five minutes eight, and found the show had already started; I forgot how prompt theater shows tend to be, and wound up missing the Pornographer's first song. The rest of their set was great, though. As could be guessed from their music, they manage to put on a very, very high energy show while pretty much standing still; when you have a box of hooks that sharp and a wall of sound so thick, jumping around just seems a little superflous. Personal highlight was a great rendition of "Mass Romantic," which pushed the temptation to see Neko Case [again?] in a few weeks all the more.
Now, I ought to mention that the size of the venue (the Riverside is great, but huge; excited to see Sigur Ros there in two months nonetheless) and the density of the crowd seemed a bit off with me, given that it was a Belle and Sebastian show. You see, in spite of their last few albums, I have a hard time thinking of them as being anything other than a meek, quiet but sincere twee band, much more at home in an attic than a club. Seeing the band come out to feverent applause, cheerfully dancing, and Stuart Murdoch playing up the crowd caused the cognitive dissonance to set in for about two songs. Until I realized how appropriate it was for the band's sound, and how great the band fit the job description, so to speak: really, I was expecting Nick Drake when I should have been looking forward to The Smiths. And, fortunately, Stuart makes a great Moz.
Which is to say, he was a great showman, and worked up the crowd in all the right ways. Not that they needed to be worked up, though: there were people sashaying in the aisles and wagging their hips from the first song. The setlist, heavy in newer material (no songs from Boy With The Arab Strap, sadly. No "Blues are Still Blue, either.) helped fit that mood. Setlist, nicked from Bowlie:
Act of the Apostle
Another Sunny Day
Women's Realm
If You're Feeling Sinister
Sukie in the Graveyard
Electronic Renaissance
Middle Distance Runner
Mr. Richard
Fox in the Snow
Funny Little Frog
Sleepyheads
She's Losing it
Your Cover's Blown
Simple Things
I'm a Cuckoo
Jonathan David
White Collar Boy
Judy and the Dream of Horses
encore:
Caught in love
Me and the Major
Personal highlights would be "Sukie In the Graveyard" and "If You're Feeling Sinister," both came accross perfectly. In all, a charismatic, memorable and impossibly endearing show. One of the few times that I felt at ease with the rest of a monsterous crowd instead of opposed to them. I debated whether or not I wanted to go for few weeks, as a neither here nor there fan. I left eager for them to come back, and with a sharp appetite to fill in their discography. Probably the best show of the year so far.
Also, most of my household is making and trading Spring mixes (no, not mixed greens) in a little over a week. If anybody happens to want a copy of mine, let me know.
I got there five minutes eight, and found the show had already started; I forgot how prompt theater shows tend to be, and wound up missing the Pornographer's first song. The rest of their set was great, though. As could be guessed from their music, they manage to put on a very, very high energy show while pretty much standing still; when you have a box of hooks that sharp and a wall of sound so thick, jumping around just seems a little superflous. Personal highlight was a great rendition of "Mass Romantic," which pushed the temptation to see Neko Case [again?] in a few weeks all the more.
Now, I ought to mention that the size of the venue (the Riverside is great, but huge; excited to see Sigur Ros there in two months nonetheless) and the density of the crowd seemed a bit off with me, given that it was a Belle and Sebastian show. You see, in spite of their last few albums, I have a hard time thinking of them as being anything other than a meek, quiet but sincere twee band, much more at home in an attic than a club. Seeing the band come out to feverent applause, cheerfully dancing, and Stuart Murdoch playing up the crowd caused the cognitive dissonance to set in for about two songs. Until I realized how appropriate it was for the band's sound, and how great the band fit the job description, so to speak: really, I was expecting Nick Drake when I should have been looking forward to The Smiths. And, fortunately, Stuart makes a great Moz.
Which is to say, he was a great showman, and worked up the crowd in all the right ways. Not that they needed to be worked up, though: there were people sashaying in the aisles and wagging their hips from the first song. The setlist, heavy in newer material (no songs from Boy With The Arab Strap, sadly. No "Blues are Still Blue, either.) helped fit that mood. Setlist, nicked from Bowlie:
Act of the Apostle
Another Sunny Day
Women's Realm
If You're Feeling Sinister
Sukie in the Graveyard
Electronic Renaissance
Middle Distance Runner
Mr. Richard
Fox in the Snow
Funny Little Frog
Sleepyheads
She's Losing it
Your Cover's Blown
Simple Things
I'm a Cuckoo
Jonathan David
White Collar Boy
Judy and the Dream of Horses
encore:
Caught in love
Me and the Major
Personal highlights would be "Sukie In the Graveyard" and "If You're Feeling Sinister," both came accross perfectly. In all, a charismatic, memorable and impossibly endearing show. One of the few times that I felt at ease with the rest of a monsterous crowd instead of opposed to them. I debated whether or not I wanted to go for few weeks, as a neither here nor there fan. I left eager for them to come back, and with a sharp appetite to fill in their discography. Probably the best show of the year so far.
Also, most of my household is making and trading Spring mixes (no, not mixed greens) in a little over a week. If anybody happens to want a copy of mine, let me know.