March 8, 2006
Belle and Sebastian Shines at 9:30 Club
Today we bring you the second half of our coverage of The New Pornographers and Belle and Sebastian at the 9:30 Club. Yesterday Jason reviewed Carl Newman and his half-staffed band; today Hemal shares her take on the surprisingly energetic Scottish crowd-pleasers Belle and Sebastian.
Stuart Murdoch didn't waste any time charming the proverbial pants off the crowd Monday night at the 9:30 club. The lead singer of the Glaswegian Belle and Sebastian bounded on stage and immediately began flattering his audience, but in the most sincere and charming way possible. "I can already tell you're a better crowd then last night...much hipper...it's the Monday night party crowd!" he said to adoring cheers.
With that, the seven-strong Belle and Sebastian launched into "Expectations," a whimsical number about being bullied at school, from their debut "Tigermilk." The number, despite the semi-serious subject matter, set the airy and light tone for the rest of the evening. If there's one thing the band is good at, it's underscoring the daily scuffles and disappointments of life with a bright and cheery soundtrack.
For much of the night, Murdoch danced his slight frame around the stage, jumping in a rhythmic fashion, arms flailing, feet kicking out every so often, causing the ladies in the audience to screech like school girls. In short, it was the best kind of uncoordinated hodge podge of joyous motion that Murdoch had clearly honed in the discotheques back home. After finishing up "Another Sunny Day," he paused for breath and joked about feeling like he was in an 80's movie.
As much as Murdoch captivates the audience, the rest of the band, which consists of Stevie Jackson (dressed for success in a lovely suit) on guitar and vocals, Sarah Martin (also on vocals), keyboardist Chris Geddes, drummer Richard Colburn, and featuring Mick Cooke and bassist Bob Kildea, deserves attention. The band holds their own on big numbers such as the new single,"Your Cover's Blown." A funky number with bits of blues thrown in, the song bares little resemblance to their softer, more somber early work. In fact, the main take away from the entire evening was the sheer level of rock and energy that Belle and Sebastian brought to the stage. Never having seen their live show before, we were fully expecting a low-key, strummy-yet-satisfying performance. We were proved wrong in the best kind of way.
The rest of the nearly two hour set consisted of a cherry picked playlist that pulled heavily from old EP's and the new release, The Life Pursuit. The band shifted smoothly from past to present, playing old and new songs with similar aplomb and technical mastery, letting vocalist Murdoch shine when needed. And shine he did. The beautifully wistful "Loneliness of A Middle Distance Runner" showcased his high falsetto, while the sparse version of "Piazza New York Catcher," from last years' "Dear Catastrophe Waitress" had us hoping for a solo acoustic album in the future. The band then swung into the much loved yet rarely played tune "Belle and Sebastian," a dreamy tale of two mildly delinquent youths, from an early EP.
Like the New Pornographers before them, Belle and Sebastian accommodated their fans and played crowd favorites, "I'm A Cuckoo" and "Me and The Major," revving up the later with a frenzied Stevie Jackson on harmonica and guitar. Both were standouts of the evening. The rest of the set was fleshed out with the many relentlessly upbeat songs from their canon. Even the bittersweet "Judy and The Dream of Horses" (from the "red" album "If You're Feeling Sinister") came with a dreamy wistfulness just short of melancholy.
Their live shows (like their albums) are infused with a seemingly unrealistic and heartbreaking optimism that enthralls their fans. Watching Murdoch fling himself around the stage without an ounce of pretension, it was easy to see why the earnest and sincere Belle and Sebastian inspire the kind of devotion they do. Before the ambitious ensemble number, "If You Find Yourself Caught in Love," Murdoch tried to explain what the song was about. "Well," he finished hopefully, "it's about having just a little bit of faith."
Photo by flickr user schtzo, with permission.
Set List
Expectations
Another Sunny Day
Women's Realm
Sukie in the Graveyard
Electronic Renaissance
The Loneliness of a Middle Distance Runner
To Be Myself Completely
The Blues Are Still Blue
Piazza, New York Catcher
Belle and Sebastian
Funny Little Frog
She's Losing It
Your Cover's Blown
Dog on Wheels
I'm a Cuckoo
The Wrong Girl
If You Find Yourself Caught In Love
Judy and the Dream of Horses
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White Collar Boy
Me and the Major
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NPR has the whole concert up on its site.
Awesome.
Amazing show. What are the chances they'll follow through with that summer tour?
I hope they follow through both on the summer return AND the promise to play "The Waiting Room."
These guys were so good that they moved me from LIKE to LOVE. Consider me a convert.
When's the last time they played in DC? I saw them play an awesome show at DAR Constitution Hall about four years ago, but it wasn't until this tour that I noticed them coming through DC again. I guess I missed the last time (or two times) they were here, but when was it?
They were great Monday, but I think they were a little better four years ago, maybe it was the expanded lineup (they must have had at least 15 people on stage at some points). Also, Stuart said the White House reminded him of the Governor's house on Benson.
Funnily enough they ended with Me and the Major four years ago too. Great song, two great shows. Hurray for Scotland.
The Constitution Hall show was something special getting to hear that early material live for first time was great. However, the band was still a bit awkward on stage, Isobel left the band just as that US tour was underway, and quite frankly they had to many support players on stage. They played at least one date between 2002 and now, would have gone but I think the Pixies were in town that night.
Anyway, great show this time around with a completely confident band who will be well worth seeing several times on a tour given the changing setlists.
While a B&S take on "Waiting Room" would be something else, we need to come up with a list of suggestions for other song options. Seeing as how popular Eva Cassiday became in the UK she would be a logical choice for them to do. Or EU's "Da Butt", Bad Brains... And if you stretch the defintion of DC one could include Slickee Boys or Foo Fighters.
They were a bit awkward back then. I remember him semi-seriously demanding that people come in and take their seats before he would start. "I demand your attention" I believe he cheekily said. He seemed to have the same reaction on Monday when he took notice of a girl braiding someone else's hair. He said he was cool with it, but you can tell he must have a bit of a complex about people paying attention to him.
Maybe an authoritative list of DC songs is appropriate for communicating to touring bands. I remember when Broken Social Scene came through last Fall and the guitarist broke into "Take The A Train". The lead singer tried to explain how this was a homage to DC. When people pointed out that the song is about NYC, he responded that Duke Ellington is from DC. Sadly no one responded back that the Duke didn't write that song, Billy Strayhorn did.
"Your Cover's Blown" isn't new. It was on the Books EP that came out in 2004.
I think Dear Catastrophe Waitress came out before last year. Also I thought "If You're Feeling Sinister" was their first release but I don't follow them that closely so I could be wrong about that.
Julie
I think "If You're Feeling Sinister" was the first to be widely released. Tigermilk was their first project, but it was not widely distributed until after IYFS. I think.
IYFS was the first widely released B&S... Tigermilk was the first, but only 1000 copies were self-released intially. At point it was highly collectible and would guess it still is...