The Decemberists + Wye Oak @ L'Olympia

WHAT? You missed the Decemberists show? Awwwwww nuts! 

Yes, the tickets were pretty damn expensive (35$). Yes, it was cold as hell… and yes, I nearly destroyed a defective parking meter outside the Olympia theatre. If you saw me swearing and kicking machine #Q045, please don’t think any less of me; I was having a “case of the Mondays”.

Though things started off poorly, I made it in for a half hour of Wye Oak’s opening set. They’re this great two-piece indie band from Baltimore (yes “The Wire" was name-checked in between songs). Vocals are split between Jenn Wasner (guitar) & Andy Stack (drums). Their sound involves elegantly somber vocals and versatile lo-fi guitar that rises into thick walls of glorious noise. Their albums If Children and The Knot are both great AND they’ve got a new one called Civilian coming out in March (all three are on Merge). Did I mention my right leg was a thumpin’ for the entirety of their set? Always a good sign.  

I had kept my expectations really, really low for the Decemberists set. I had seen them perform at 2009’s Osheaga Music and Arts Festival when they were touring behind The Hazards of Love. They spent 45 minutes playing their new album, with nary a song people knew (at the time). The album isn’t awful, though it is painfully long, pretentious and the weakest of their catalogue. Still, no one wants to stand around that long, clapping politely every 15 minutes...

18 months removed and they’ve put out another record; it’s called The King is Dead and I love it. I won’t give you yet another lame record review… just check out… the INTERNET. Pitchfork might’ve spent the last 2 months hyping it up, so I’d assume they (and other sites) have some decent reviews out. If you’re like me and you felt suffocated by Hazards, you’ll breathe a sigh of relief. King is 10 great songs. I can’t pick a favorite song because at least 5 of them could take the cake… listen to me gush about the record, I sound like a Rough Trade spokesperson…

The show was wonderful, the best I’ve seen in awhile. The band was introduced by Portland mayor Sam Adams via hilarious pre-recorded audio. They opened with “The Sporting Life” and the rest of the set list was one blurred highlight reel of sea shanties, ballads and sing-a-longs. If you left disappointed it’s because you’re an idiot, OR a really tall person obstructed your view for three-quarters of the show. “Los Angeles I’m Yours” and "16 Military Wives” were my two favorites, and though I got a hefty dose of the new album, I thought it was wonderful. Oh, and if you’re wondering, those 5 favorites are: “Calamity Song”, “January Hymn”, “June Hymn”, “This Is Why We Fight" and “Rox In A Box,” whose intro is nearly identical to that of Townes Van Zandt’s “Lungs”, all of which were played. 

Though I’m not one for stage banter, frontman Mr. Meloy had me cracking up on more than one occasion. Though I completely forgot (until now) about GUITARMAGEDDON 2007, I was surprised at how down-to-earth the band was considering their songs and lyrics are both brilliant and oft-times intimidating for the average “3-4 books a year” music dweeb.

The encore featured 10 minutes of the epic “The Mariner's Revenge,” which proved to be the most entertaining (and theatrical) part of the show. They closed with the aforementioned campfire ballad “June Hymn” and that was that. I rushed to my car, and let it warm up for 10 minutes next to that beaten up sonuvabitch parking meter.  

Great. Fucking. Show.

-Catch Mike B hosting The Lonesome Strangers every Tuesday from 8-10pm