Photos by Ty Hyten
The Scene: Twenty and thirty-somethings dressed in their best flannel, filled the historic Paramount Theatre Tuesday for multi-instrumentalist indie-rock wonder Andrew Bird. It was the last night of nine week tour and large video cameras were setup to stream the show live online.
Opener: John Grant. John Grant, the one time frontman of Denver-based Czars, opened the show with a mellow set. Slow moving songs were accented with well-placed “motherfuckers” and unexpected patches of synthesizer. His voice live was a bit more of an unpolished Elton John than I had picked up on his albums. Grant sang from deep within his chest with a furrowed brow, his songs a comical juxtaposition of grandeur and irreverence. His set included his most well known song, “GMF” (Greatest Motherfucker), and ended with “Queen of Denmark,” a scathing takedown of an ex-lover. As he ended phrases with punchlines like “I casually mention that I pissed in your coffee,“ a man in a silky vest behind me booed loudly, finally muttering, “Sorry, he’s a fuck bag” then stormed out. With the exception of that, the hometown crowd seemed receptive and even offered up a piecemeal standing ovation.
Andrew Bird: Andrew Bird is a masterful instrumentalist, vocalist, guitar player, showman and unique voice in a sea of pedestrian folk rock. His shows, whether solo, or with a full band, are expertly crafted, highly technical and always flawlessly executed.
Tuesday marked the end of the tour and it was gratifying to watch the master at work. The experienced was also shared via livestream on Yahoo, a fact that was nearly imperceptible, if not for Bird addressing the audience at home.
Andrew Bird and his band of three entered the silk tapestried walls of the the ornate theater. With his head swiveling back and forth, eyes pressed closed, Bird threw his head back sang with whimsy. Loops of fiddle were accented with Bird’s constant ping-ponging between guitar, violin, xylophone, and of course his rich whistle.
The night was in constant motion from standard indie rock orchestration and structure to something else entirely. Bird’s meat and potatoes is a breakdown in tempo, adding in a meandering guitar line or violin solo over a loop of plucked violin over a snappy beat. These moments shone most brightly when Bird played his trademark free spirited, tempo switching, violin leads on songs like “Truth Lies Low’.” These leads tended to wander, floating, with bursts of frantic energy in the form of tremolo and tended to ventured gorgeously into the high pitched world of whale sounds.
The show featured a heavy showing of songs from Bird’s latest Are You Serious, which was released last month. This included his duet with Fiona Apple, “Left Handed Kisses.” He joked that he couldn’t get Fiona for this show and proceeded to sing both parts. Other favorites from the new album included “Roma Fade” and “Puma,” both of which are remarkably upbeat for songs dealing with a wife’s cancer. Perhaps the best was “Valleys Of The Young,” a take on the simultaneous joy and heartbreak of parenthood.
Of course the set didn’t live entirely within the territory of the new album. A personal favorite was “Three White Horses” from 2012’s Hands of Glory. Bird and his band tapped into three-part vocal harmonies. Galloping drums frantically picked up tempo as Bird hollered. The song ended with Bird reducing the song to loops he had inconspicuously recorded through the song. He tweaked knobs, slowing and speeding up the recording, creating a beautiful shapeless soundscape.
This seamless looping was one of the best parts of the evening. Where other artists typically take time to setup and build their loops, Bird constructed mid-swing. It lead to a few surprising endings, most namely on “Plasticities.” A tiny symphony swelled and wobbled from beneath his feet.
The night ended with a four song encore, with the band gathered around a single microphone — a traditional and familiar format, but one that never gets old. It included a cover of Neil Young’s “Harvest” and Bob Dylan’s “Oh Sister.” Bird left the audience with the Afro-inflected “The New Saint Jude.”
Seeing Andrew Bird live was such a refreshing experience. His musical genius, penchant for whimsy, and willingness to play with tempo and sound made his show a memorable musical experience.
Energy: A
Musicianship: A+
Sound: A+
Stage Presence: A
Set/Light Show: B+
Overall: A
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