shows

A few weeks back, I saw the Decemberists, in all their glory and storytellers' grace, spin their tall tales of the Hazards of Love. They tore through their entire new album, front to back, a fantastic opera with the grandiose whimsy that is the Decemberists. This new album is easily the most rock-inspired, including far heavier guitars, loud drums, and even some head-banging moments...however, the lyrics stay the course, as Colin Meloy invokes forest spirits, shape-shifting, and all sorts of magical imagery usually reserved only for fairy tales and card games. The 5-piece band definitely understand how to stage a spectacle, as the enormously wide Palladium stage became their podium, like watching a great orator's story of love, life, and the occasional infanticide. During their ode to offing one's children, "The Rake's Song", everyone sharing the stage whipped out mallets and began slamming hard on a floor tom and snare, adding to the already thunderous drums, like taiko drummers from another world. I've seen them play with an entire orchestra, filling every space with majestic strings and slow-rising horns...this rock epic seemed miles away. That's not at all a criticism, in fact, the ease in which the band can seamlessly transition from open, harmonic soundscapes to a pure hard rock opera-while maintaining the enchantment and feel to a vintage Decemberists show...is simply a testament to their longevity and success.

Also dropped into St. Vincent's El Rey show about a week later...the intimacy of the El Rey is something I'll always love, and the free street parking makes it feel that much better. Throw some sweet-potato fries in and you can almost forgive a $7 Bud Light (!?)...but not completely. St. Vincent's opener, Pattern is Movement, brought a very unique feel to the show; the band is a duo - one on keys and vocals, the other on the drums. The drummer can rip, plain and simple, throwing in ridiculous off-beats and super quick hi-hat hits in between intricate sequences. I just remember wondering how the guy can come up with it, let alone remember how to play it? (perhaps that's why I can't drum worth a damn). The keyboardist/singer carried his weight with a lighter voice, a folksy-avant garde style slightly reminiscent of Jim James that echoed throughout the room over his smooth keys. Kicker of the night - one quick bar of the opening sequence of "Everything in its Right Place" that got pretty much everyone in the room looking around at their friends, asking "woah, did you just hear Radiohead?". Pretty cool. And amazingly ballsy to throw that in. They pulled it off though, and for that I picked up their album...and the funniest tote bag you'll ever see. It'll be a gift for someone.

St. Vincent simply owns the room when she takes the stage...and with the amount of control she has over her sound, she can punctuate the highs and draw out the lulls, seducing the crowd until we're all on her time. Her band varied from her last performance at the Echoplex (which really varied from her solo performance at the Swerve Festival-who the fuck remembers that!?); her string section was reduced to a single part-time violinist, signaling an emphais on her newer, more electronic rock sound captured by her latest LP, Actor. Standing close to the sound booth, I caught a glimpse of a Kaos Pad and some other sound-modifying instruments, which the sound girl was using to add some ambient depth to many of St. Vincent's songs. The added pops and chopping of sounds added to the eerieness of some songs, while building up others. Of course, the most captivating thing about St. Vincent is her guitar playing, which is just ridiculous. Her voice is the sugary-sweet to her hard-nosed picking and dark lyrics. Good times.

Goodness, I see a lot of great shows. Caught Animal Collective at the Wiltern, which was a transcendent experience...you immediately walk in and notice the crazy pattern of Merriweather Post Pavilion's cover and 6 PA speakers in a semi-circle around the band. Animal Collective is just one of those amazing bands that thinks of everything before you do. Space, light, everything is accounted for and adds to the total experience of the show. Being there is completely surprising and a truly unique experience, since for most of the show, you really can't tell with certainty what exactly each band member is doing/playing. There's just so much sound to manage...but they do it with ease. Sadly, there's no angled-mirror for the crowd like a cooking show (which would be perfect), only Avey, Panda Bear, and Geologist's moving arms and fingers as certain sounds eminate from their vast array of samplers and synthesizers. I'll just go ahead and say that you need to see them. Certain shows can be captured in a paragraph or two; this wasn't one of those. Just what they did to "Fireworks" is a masterpiece in itself.

And, as perhaps a grand finale of sorts, got some tickets to see Femi Kuti, Santigold, and Raphael Saadiq at the Bowl last night. Bringin Your Own Booze is a blessing, as I didn't once think about whether or not to buy a bottle of wine/large beer. Santigold. I've heard things, but I never really realized what she's up to...shame on me. You know she has arrived when she can rock the shit out the Hollywood Bowl. That's 20,000 people, all dancing like maniacs. Her music is intoxicating in a lot of ways, from her heavy electronic jams and anthems to her sunnier, airy guitar-driven pop cuts. She spits them all with style and energy, pretty much forcing you to stand up and appreciate it. "Creator" live is something to behold. And she mentioned that this tour was her first with a full band. I would love to see her work in a studio. Femi Kuti is already a legend, following in dad's footsteps, doing it on the sax and trumpet with flair and style. His political lyrics ride his lively music, giving a real reason to stand up and join in on the party. For every 500 artists on the pop charts singing about fucking and getting drunk, there's a gem like Femi, crafting music that makes you realize how lucky you are to be hearing this, in this place, at this time, with these people.

Cheers, friends.