By Killian Laher.
Surprises come in strange packages. Here’s how the Decemberists took any lingering doubts and put a match to them, in front of one of the most ravenous audiences ever witnessed in Vicar Street.
First, a word or two about the support, Blind Pilot, who peddled a pleasant brand of alt-country, rounded out nicely with trumpet, banjo and acoustic guitar. Mellowed my mood no end.
Nothing could quite prepare us for the arrival of the Decemberists, who prefaced their arrival with a hilarious spoken-word intro, before opening with July,July to a euphoric, incredible welcome. The conclusion of this opening song was received like the final song of an encore! It was clear that my critical faculties were going to be challenged by the intoxicating atmosphere.
The songs were cranked out, Calamity Song and Rox in the Box went down well, the latter enhanced by accordion and fiddle. Many of the songs were heavily influenced by REM but talk about the passion they came across with!
Frontman Colin Meloy had that rare talent in that his between song banter was actually amusing, but more importantly than that the man knows his way around a guitar. The band showed an admirable grasp of dynamics, just before the songs started to sound a little same-y they dropped in a heavy song, Won’t Want For Love with a crunching riff and a female singer. Deeply impressive.
With such an adoring audience there was no avoiding an encore and the band duly delivered with folky dramatics (Mariner’s Revenge Song) before concluding with the blessed-out Springville.
There were no dissenting murmurs tonight. They aren’t tortured, edgy or cool. They are more like a less serious Richmond Fontaine, in other words a great bar band.
4th March 2011
