Concert Review: Fleet Foxes at Union Hall, Midnight

Flagrantly stolen from BV

Seattle quintet Fleet Foxes graced New York with their presence at two venues this week: Bowery Ballroom, capacity 498, Union Hall, capacity 100. The decision there was not a tough one. I, being high and mighty, didn't buy a UH ticket the second they went on sale because it's Union Hall. Then suddenly, they were all gone. As I just found out today, after the fact, Sub Pop bought themselves 40 of those tickets. Whether it was intentional or not, by selling out the Brooklyn show, they got a huge hype in a very short period of time and Bowery sold out too. I was pissed that I wasn't going, particularly since I had only myself to blame.

So on Thursday at 10 am when they announced an additional midnight show, Dave was right on his game, reading BV. He tried to get them, and of course they sold out. We got nothing. When I checked Craigslist later, people were offering $160 for two tickets. Sick. I had already realized that this show wasn't in my future. So when my boss asked me to go fabric sourcing in midtown at 8 or 8:30 the next morning I didn't sweat it. Until 2 seconds later when Dave texted me that he had gotten tickets. In the land of irresponsibility, I am queen.

Every ounce of doubt dissolved in the first 3 seconds after FF started playing. I had heard that they really rocked when they played Bowery in March, so I was reasonably confidant that they would be good. Good doesn't begin to do justice to they way that they performed. A lot of their music is dependent upon graceful harmonies and dissonance in their chorus. Whenever this is the case, I always fear that they are just working really hard for their studio takes, but in reality they will not be able to hit those notes live. Every pitch was executed, every rhythm was nailed, and every pause was suspenseful. They played a tight, ridiculously tight show. I was floored. I read a bunch of bitching on BV about the quality of the audiences, and a lot of criticism of the photogs, but that must have been for the first show of the night. At the second show everyone was respectful and the photographers were fine. People just look for a reason to complain about shit. Seriously, they should be so lucky to have been at that show. They have a flexibility on stage that allows them to push and pull throughout each song and they can remain in control. They are a band that is so much better live than in recording that I only hope to see them again, since listening to the record allows a faint nostalgia to linger.

The other thing that I really liked was the band's random on stage banter. I know it annoys some people, but they were funny and witty. They seemed to think that they were playing pretty well, and so did I. They were clearly enjoying themselves and the crowd. A band that is at ease with themselves and having fun always performs better. Anyway, if you know what's good for you, you will go see Fleet Foxes in any context possible. Also, buy their album and EP on insound.

<3 The Elephant

Concert Review: Wye Oak with Deer Tick at Union Hall

Last night Spang and I went to one of our favorite places in Brooklyn to see one of my favorite new bands, Wye Oak. After several trials and tribulations we found ourselves there towards the end of the Deer Tick set, and they were having so much fun. Although I am really not familiar a lot of their work (read: i listened to like 2 songs on myspace) they were tooooons of fun. We heard a couple of songs and then they closed with a cover of "La Bamba" (or whatever that songs is called).

The set was too loud in my opinion. I usually don't need earplugs, but man, I seriously ran to the bar to get a pair (read: the elephant is old). I introduced myself to Jenn, the singer of Wye Oak when we arrived, as she was sitting at the merch table all by herself. She was warm and friendly, and introduced me to her drummer, Andy. Both absolutely adorabe. She commented that she is turning 22 on wednesday, and I was shocked. She is so poised and mature for 21, would have never guessed.

So Wye Oak is a two person band (much like the Dodos) which gives them a clean sound where Jenn's smoky, airy voice defines their M.O. On stage they are absolutely as strong as they are in recording, really digging into their music. They aren't at all heavy, and on stage they maintain their fluidity beautifully. Like everyone else, I am most familiar with "Obituary" and "If Children". My lack of familiarity allowed their other songs to really show me who they are. "Regret" was particularly haunting, in that depressing, beautiful, glowing hurtful way. When they finished their set, Jenn blushingly admitted that they only knew one other song, which they gracefully played for us. They have a defined sound (namely Jenn's voice) and I don't feel like there is going to be a lot of change from that sound in the future, but that challenge will force them to push into new, currently unexplored areas.

Their album If Children is out on Merge.

<3 the Elephant

Wye Oak at Union Hall Saturday

As I have mentioned before, Wye Oak is a band I could see myself listening to pretty frequently once I get my paws on their release. They hail from the beautiful town of Baltimore MD, and have an adorable video on SG. I plan to have a relaxing Saturday evening with them at Union Hall, and hopefully the weather will be good, so we can all chill on that cute patio! Incidentally, Deer Tick is opening for them, they too have been getting a lot of good press. They are nice folk music, and you know how I feel about that.

Wye Oak plays Union Hall this Saturday, and their album is out today on Merge.