Concert Review: Beirut at Music Hall of Williamsburg

Pictures totally stolen off Flickr, thanks Brooklyn!

I love going to concerts, but I only want to go to shows where I can't stand still because the musical serum is pulsing through my veins. This week I was lucky enough to go to two of those shows.

I have seen Beirut twice before: first at a pool party at McCarren Park Pool, and second at Bowery Ballroom. The first time I was pretty underwhelmed, they had strong ideas, but their album wasn't released, and it just felt a little messy. They seemed like a scared group of marching band kids who got thrown into Williamsburg. Yet I still bought their album and loved and cherished every track on Gulag Orchestar. The second time was at Bowery about a year ago, meaning that I have seen them about once a year for the last few years. Sweet Jesus how they have grown. I felt like a proud Mama Bear watching my dweeby little marching band blow the audience away.

The energy that the audience expelled was very much reciprocated by the band. Every song was a pleasure to behold: crazy, off beat little gems of music. They played with the intimacy that only comes from time, confidence and hard work. I had just read the interview (see the previous post) and it helped me to understand Condon's song writing, which should more accurately be described as composing. You could see the glee in his eyes as he performed and conducted his new material, which is horn heavy and lyrically light. His appreciation for other languages also leads me to believe that his interests lie in the combination of sounds and beats rather than lyrics. Scenic World (particularly the Lon Gisland EP version) is on of my favorite of his songs because the lyrical beauty matches the tonal beauty.

Some highlights for me last night included the aforementioned Scenic World, After the Curtain and of course Postcards. I really felt Sunday Smiles too, even though it isn't my favorite in recording. Two new songs were My Wife and The Shrew...at least I think they are new. Both were seriously awesome. I must have been wrong about alleged impending break-up (although I still trust my source, he doesn't typically lead me astray). I have also read a lot of blog comments about last night's show, basically all of which are the same glowing mush that I am spewing. One thing that seems to have gone suspiciously uncommented is Condon's excellent connection with the audience, he is a superb performer in that I always feel like we are just hanging out in his living room making some music. I loved how he sang us that Portuguese poem (about blue eyes?? and beautiful meetings?) and then when he was through he knelt down and gave it to someone in the audience. I am not really interested in the whole story, since I prefer to think of it a warm and understanding gesture of how important a dedicated audience is.

I'm fairly non-religious, however if ever there were a sign from God for me not to leave New York, it has been this recent series of interesting cultural events I have experienced. Between cool art events (Guggenheim, Tokion Party, Armory Show) and great concerts (Black Kids, Cut Copy, Beirut) I am barely home enough to change my clothes. Well...there is always time for a new outfit, but you get the point. Until next time...

<3 The Elephant