Andrew Bird made his first and only performance of SXSW 2012 last night, March 15, at Stubb’s BBQ. Bird closed out the talent-heavy NPR showcase, following the likes of Alabama Shakes, Dan Deacon, and Fiona Apple. I had been looking forward to this show since hearing that Bird was making the trip to Austin, and he did not disappoint.
For the past few years, since releasing the album Noble Beast in 2009, Andrew Bird has been touring solo, standing on stage with nothing but his collection of foot pedals, violin, glockenspiel, and guitar. I was lucky enough to see one of these shows when he played at Benefit Braddock near Pittsburgh last October. That setting was intimate, a one-hundred seat theatre in an old library, extremely fitting knowing Bird’s reputation for using $10 words. The night was amazing, and is to date one of the best live shows I’ve experienced. Seeing Bird construct such layered and intricate songs all by himself was mesmerizing, and I’ve been dying to see him again ever since.
However, his show at the NPR showcase was a different beast. Bird just released his newest record, Break it Yourself on March 2, and its sound is far more raw and energetic than the airy, natural Noble Beast. After a few years of solo touring, Bird has brought the band back, now accompanied by drums, backup vocals and bass, and it resulted in a much more high key show. But this doesn’t mean it wasn’t equally enjoyable. This set up was far more fitting for the setting, and I found myself completely absorbed for the duration of the set. The crowd of about 2000 at Stubb’s ate it up, cheering at every pause and whistle, and going nuts when he played older favorites.
Bird started the set with a few songs from the new record, as to be expected this close to the release. Although you could tell that the crowd was mostly unfamiliar with the new tracks, people were still energized, especially during one of Birds more rough-and-tumble songs, and the first single off the new album, “Eyeoneye”. But the highlight of the set for me was the closer, “Fake Palindromes” off of an older album, The Mysterious Production of Eggs. Bird is known for changing up the rhythm and melody of his songs live, one of the things I love most about his shows, and he had a blast twisting and turning the words of his last tune.
Check out more photos from Andrew Bird’s performance at the NPR Showcase:
Before heading over to the French music showcase at the Mohawk on Wednesday, March 15, I stopped by Club DeVille to see Choir of Young Believers perform at the Ghostly International Showcase. Choir of Young Believers is the musical project of Jannis Joya Makrigiannis, a well-regarded musician in the Danish indie scene. Signed to Ghostly International in 2008, the orchestral pop group has released one album so far: This is For the White in Your Eyes. As the title suggests, the album is full of grand compositions akin to that of Sufjan Stevens, Efterklang, and My Brightest Diamond.
The Ghostly International Showcase was a treat for both Choir of Young Believers, which is releasing its second album Rhine Gold in two weeks, and the audience, which was able to view a full Choir of Young Believers performance. The band is known for its fluctuating size in concert, ranging from a duo to an octet with Jannis as the sole constant. The lineup playing at Club DeVille included drums, a one-man percussion section, a trumpet, a cello, a keyboard, and a guitar, which allowed for a full sound. The band was focused on their performance, paying more attention to giving the audience a flawless and moving live performance than pandering to the crowd. While some audience members used the concert to talk to others and meet new people who held the same musical passions as them, others allowed the band to fully envelop their consciousness with its spellbinding performance.
This is the first single off of their album Rhine Gold, which will be released on March 20:
When Peelander-Z hits the stage, venues immediately become frenetic punk rock Japanese game shows. On Saturday (March 10), I had the pleasure of being tossed around in a mosh pit at the Beauty Ballroom.
Based out of New York, Peelander-Z describe themselves as a Japanese action comic punk band hailing from the Z area of Planet Peelander. On stage, Peelander-Z, has an unparalleled level of charisma that takes control of entire audiences. Their songs typically begin with cheeky skits that teach the call and response element of each song. Replete with audience participation, their show on Saturday had the audience chanting, playing limbo, bowling, and moshing.
As a special SXSW treat, Peelander-Z opened their show off by screening the music video for “Star Bowling” from the album Space Vacation. This video featured the most current lineup of the Peelanders.
To really kick things off right, the end of the show saw Peelander-Z jamming out with their Japanese tourmates, Electric Eel. To finish things off, they invited audience members on stage and staged a game of bowling.
