I only went to Sunday night's performance. I really liked that it felt like the band was playing in a Zhang Yimou film, and the backdrop of the Chinese village with the crane flying overhead was beautiful.
I particularly enjoyed their cover of Husker Du's "Divide and Conquer". I also liked their free jazz joke: "Have you ever had coffee with chickory?" "No, but I have done blow with Kenny G"
I learned that I am old because I knew the cover and got the joke. There were quite a few high school age kids there as well as kids with their parents.

A couple of thoughts:

1)The material from "The Crane Wife" rocks a lot harder on stage than it does on the album, and while that may be unfortunate for the other 364 days of the year that I don't see them live, it makes the Decemberists one of the most worth-while tickets around. I thought the sets were eve-of-Halloween cool, and I guess that's one of the perks of signing with a major label, but I miss the old-school uniforms from the last tour. The band members seemed less personally invested in the aesthetic of the album, which made the history major in me a little sad, but...

2)The band, consciously or not, sounds significantly more political. On the 2005 tour, "Sixteen Military Wives" was snarky and funny, and it got the crowd dancing. There was a lot more anger in the lyrics last night, and the song was better for it. But even more kick-ass was the decision (among many good ones in a great set list) was to end the main show with a group sing-along to "Sons and Daughters." It was kind of a hippie throwback, hundreds of folks singing "Here, all the bombs fade away," over and over, but it was good. The problem with most of the songs that have come out of the Iraq war is that they're purely angry. I'm not saying that Colin Meloy is channeling John Lennon "War is over if you want it"-style, but the shot of hope was a pretty exhilirating way to end the concert.

3) If you were on the far right edge of the stage, you would have seen Colin and Carson Ellis rocking out to the opener from the balcony. They were really into it and it was cute. Too bad baby Henry wasn't in evidence.

4) I learned that a certain liberal political blogger is a friendly guy and good at taking compliments. I also met a cool long-time DCer with really great taste in novels (Nick Hornby) and radio (Sarah Vowell), and am kind of kicking myself for not getting his number.

sunday night only. although you can listen to the monday night show on npr: here. i think it was dcist that pointed that out to me in the weekly music agenda, but is repeated here in case you missed it.

i have to say. it was an awesome show. much better than i expected it to be, as i'm not entirely sold on the new album. although with each listen it gets better. as a previous commenter said, "sons and daughters" was a great end of set song.

i loved the interaction they had with the fans... "we encourage singing along," colin said at one point. the vocal warmups were just fun. and splitting the room to sing along ala ben folds was, if not original, still cool.

the slowed down, banjo backed, version of myla goldberg was a highlight for me. it's one of my favorite decemberists songs and it got a different treatment than i'd ever heard before... very cool. other highlights, july! july! and standing behind three of the tallest people in the room (note sarcasm on that last point).

My biggest complaint about the show was the backing vocals of the woman (can't remember her name) that is on tour with them. Either she isn't a strong enough presence on stage or they had her mic way too low. They (and I) really miss petra haden who toured with them last year.

more people should say hi to their neighbor's at concerts.

That was Lisa Molinaro, a Portland rockset regular and former member of talkdemonic. Her vocals were definitely not up to snuff with Petra's (but that is a pretty high bar). However, I will say I was relieved to find her onstage rather than Laura Veirs.

Great show, though!

Also, as the sort-of-journalists you are, I expect the DCist gang to diligently track down the story of what horrible thing the lead singer of Korn did in the 9:30 dressing room and post it for all of us to share.

Oh, I just saw Jeff's post. Sorry to sound redundant. But I thought the backup girl was amazing - Yankee Bayonet sounded so much better than on the album.
Also, was anyone else excited to see Chris Funk whip out his hurdy-gurdy?

nate, i'm on it. as soon as he told that story monday night, i was dying of curiosity. korn, what could you have wrought?

Ok, I just read the original post here again and realized I have to actually answer questions to win this print. Which I really, really, really, really, really want.
1. Sunday show was better, though I was impressed by the higher quality of the NPR broadcast. Yay ASC and Bob Boilen Substitute!
2. Favorite Decemberists song- nope, they didn't play it (California One/Youth and Beauty Brigade, but that may be because I spent the past four Decemberists/Meloy concerts begging for it. When they came through here last year, I called it out, and Meloy looked right at me and said, "No." He finally acquiesced at his solo show at the Birchemere, which, to my ignominy, you can hear my shrill pleading on the NPR broadcast. However, it was the best moment of my life to date (I have no friends). The melange of smarm and charm makes Meloy incrediby alluring- it's a little like being the sub in an S&M relationship. Colin Meloy is in charge of his stage and audience, and you will do what he tells you to do, even if that includes singing warm-ups (the onstage equivalent of being spanked). But you know you're going to come away feeling extraordinarily satisfied.
2.5 I LOVED the whole set- i was glad to see that the Decemberists have taken the oodles of money Capitol has given them and rewarded us fans with it- they haven't sold out, they just got better (note: I am referring to the show, not the album). Thel lights were really well done, particularly the searchlights over the audience during the Perfect Crime and the spooky red glow over the stage during the Shankhill Butchers. By the way, does anyone want to dress up with me as the Shankhill Butchers? Best costume ever. Definitely better than Steve Irwin with stingray over the heart.
3. The girl standing behind me was called Julia. I learned that she did not think Jane Fernandes would be a good president for Gallaudet because "she's deaf and all, but not really deaf, y'know? Wait, maybe she meant "she's deaf, but she's not def, yo." Stupid homophones.
4. The warm-up was ok, but I think I would have felt more suffciently prepared had they done the "mommy made me mash my m&m's" warm-up.
5. There were a lot of very tall people at the show. All I could see of the acrobatics were Chris Funk's shoes. They were brown.

A few more items of note: there is no one else in the whole world who can blend a voice with Colin Meloy's better than John Moen. He also really pushes the tempo on songs, but not so much that it's speeding out of control; it adds an extra dimension of rawking that completes the whole vibe. Also, this concert serves as evidence that Chris Walla and Laura Veirs should never have meddled on The Crane Wife with their non-talent.

I attended both nights, and I would definitely put Sunday's show at the tip-top of my towering seven Decemberists experiences, for all the reasons previously listed and more. Even when we're pitted against each other -- brother against brother! -- in an epic battle of la-di-das, there's still so much wide-eyed camaraderie in a Decemberists audience, it really makes your heart sing. Colin is charismatic enough to make you really think you would dash your best girl against the pavement if he asked you to, and that was best evidenced on Sunday night. Also in evidence on Sunday was the ragtag little team of about five or six of us who waited for a whole hour outside the front doors to try to meet the band. I got my picture taken with Jenny. That's a true story that you can tell all your friends.

Monday's show was a little more awkward and a little less intense, even though they played a few songs (Architect!!) that were rare treats. There was a 110% lack of jokes about Kenny G and assisted handstands, a 225% surplus of Carson Ellis (ADMIT IT, you were a little disappointed to be reminded of her), and at least 600% too much guy-passing-out-behind-me on Monday night for it to be too spectacular. The highlight of Monday night, however, was the show's final encore, I Was Meant For The Stage, which ended with the whole band slumping to the floor before Colin got up and went hulking around as if he were looking for something to destroy.

Lisa, the new misc. instrumentalist, was a complete delight on both nights, though, as was Jon, whose banter added to the Vaudevillian feel of Sunday night. The sets of both shows were beautiful, but, as has been said before, Sunday night's just flowed a little better.

I never thought I'd be *that* person, the one who becomes so obsessed with a band, of all things, that the band's presence causes a major disruption to everyday life. But anyone who's seen this band live can surely agree that they are worthy of that sort of obsession, and they inspire it in even the most cold-hearted nonbelivers.

And yes, I asked last week to have today off in preparation of the Decemberists-hangover I was sure to -- and did -- experience.

I attended only the Sunday night show, and it was an amazing concert. They did a great job of getting me more attached to the new material and putting some new spins on my old favorites. One of my highlights of the evening came from what I thought was going to be an absurdly embarrassing disaster for me. As has been mentioned, at the end of the final song, A Cautionary Tale, members of the band were frolicking in the audience, at which point it was announced that they would be doing audience-assisted hand-stands. This happened right next to me, as the drummer was helped upside-down by a nearby fan. Then Chris Funk turned to me, grabbed my shoulder, and pointed at the ground. I immediately became terrified. I admit, I am horrible at interpreting gestures, because I jumped to the conclusion that he was asking me to do a headstand of my own, in front of the entire crowd. I reeled with confusion and fear for a few seconds, but then understood what he'd really been asking as he bent over to do his own hand-stand. Finally understanding, I grabbed his legs and held him up for the rest of their shenanigans. It was a very wacky way to end the evening. It is a rarity that you can go to a show and become a crucial factor in preventing a member of the band from seriously injuring himself. Good times.

For what it's worth, they did "Legionaire's Lament" on Sunday, too, they just did it as part of the encore. One of the highlights of the show, in my opinion.

Wow ... if you squint your eyes up real tight, like, that cell phone looks exactly like a rock.

I attended Sunday’s show and loved it! This is my 5th time seeing the band and the show did not disappoint. I am from Seattle and first saw them at a KEXP New Year’s Party and was smitten, absolutely smitten. Sunday’s show, while in a larger venue than I have seen them play in the past, had all the energy, drama, funtimes and accordians that I love about their shows. The new lady was also great. She plays soooo many instruments, sings, and has fun hair, amazing! I especially like the down-tempo version of the Myla Goldberg song (P.S. At a Myla Goldberg reading last year I asked her about the song and got the real story about its inception...) It is one of my favorites and it was especially nice to hear them do something different with a great song.

The Crane's Wife is a lovely album. The instrumentation is exciting and the songs, as always, are deliciously odd and sweet and noisy and perhaps most importantly, great cooking music!

Sometimes when hometown bands get all big and famous and sign with major labels, you feel like the whole world is reading your diary or like mean ne'r do-wells are spoiling a great party you've been at for hours. With the Decemberists, I am just pleased as punch that they have so deservedly met with such success and that more and more people get to enjoy their music!!

I went Sunday only; it was my first Decembrists' live show and one of the better live shows I've been to in a long while.

1. When I introduced myself to the guy next to me, I found out that I'd known him since graduate school. It probably would have been keeping more in the spirit of things to turn in the other direction, but that guy was busy whispering in his girlfriend's mouth.

2. They played my favorite Decembrists' song, but, as a casual fan, my favorite song is "16 Military Wives" and thus that was no great surprise.

3. Low point was having to wear a brace for the strained ligaments in my ankle. No dancing, and I even had to take periodic breaks to sit down, during which time I could see only a sliver of the band. (The brace comes off in a couple of weeks, but too little, too late.)

4. I thought Lavender Diamond was uneven. There were moments where I thought they had some talent and could be pretty good given time, and there were moments when I wondered why they were there again, exactly. The lead singer's stage persona was a wash as far as I was concerned.

5. I was surprised how many people I saw with underaged hand stamps. I expected there would be quite a few, but not that many.

6. I was also surprised to find the show as crowded as it was. It was a non-smoking show, after all, and haven't the militant smokers been warning us that smoking bans will make bars and nightclubs look like downtown Omaha at 4AM?

I only attended the Monday show. This was my fifth Decemberists show (seventh if you include Colin's solo shows). I was really enjoying Monday's show (loved the new songs especially) right up until the encore, the songs of which I felt were poorly selected. I did not find "I Was Meant for the Stage" to be at all a satisfying conclusion to a Decemberists concert. The whole encore was kind of a downer really. I mean I love Colin's solo version of "Red Right Ankle", but something more upbeat to end the show would have been preferable. "July, July!" would have been perfect, I think. I'm now wishing I had either gone to both Decemeberists shows or had gone to Sunday night's show instead. I think Sunday's set list was better, and all the reports I've read seem to indicate that the Sunday show had more energy. The Monday audience was really low energy for a Decemberists show. Not sure if it was because it's a Monday or because of the set list or some combination of both.

I really loved the Asian stage decoration, lighting, and backdrop. Very cool and appropos "The Crane Wife."

please don't take this as a personal attack "goo," but i was standing behind you at the birchmere show, and you nearly ruined the experience for me and the majority of the people around us. if you really love a band, you don't pull the focus from them to yourself by screaming like a banshee. and you certainly dont do it when they're being recorded for NPR. and if you really love a band, you respect their decision to play certain songs some shows and not play them at others. for the good of those around you, just sing along and enjoy the experience like the rest of us.

You have to admit, overzealousness on my part aside, that rendition of California One was sah-weet!

I only saw Monday's show and it was my first time seeing the Decemberists. The highlight of the show was the encore of "I was meant for the stage" I was wishing that they'd play it since its such a sincere song and anyone can relate to it. The low point of the night is probably me walking back to my car, I wish the concert kept on going, it was so much fun. They didn't play my favorite song (Grace Cathedral Hill) since its a really old song and its ok, I liked hearing the new songs just as well. The whole stage decor (lanterns, background) was fantastic, it really tied in with the theme of the new cd. The people standing around me were very polite and very nice, I actually met them while waiting in line outside, its always great to meet new people at shows. I'm not a big singer so I pretty much lip synched throughout the show, I'd rather not irritate the people around me with my terrible vocals! At the end of the night, I was very impressed by the Decemberists, I have a new appreciation for "The Perfect Crime 2" since its so much better live. Definitely one of the best shows I've seen this year! I love love love the Decemberists!

As with the vast majority it seems, I only went to Sunday's show, although I did listen to the NPR stream of Monday's show.

This is my 5th Decemberists show (not including Colin’s solo shows) and I found the show to be a pretty good mix of old and new material. Comparing the two setlists, it appears that they play the same songs from the Crane Wife each night and rotate in different material from previous albums, which is a good way of keeping the setlist fresh. Sunday’s setlist had a great flow from song to song, which I think was better than Monday’s, but that’s just me.

As for how the Crane Wife sounds live, leading off with Crane Wife 3 followed up by the Island was a natural choice I thought. Crane Wife 3 gets everyone including the new folks excited about the show, and then going into the Island just built on that excitement. The newest Decemberist Lisa Molinaro did great job singing with Colin for Yankee Bayonet, although I was really hoping Jenny would sing for that. The Perfect Crime #2, which is a song I absolutely hated with a passion when I first heard it on the record, performed live has much more vitality to it and the D’s rock it out and turn it into a fun piece to dance along and sing to . As for the Crane Wife 1 & 2, I can’t quite explain why but the second half of it just fell flat to me. Maybe it’s because my knees were starting to hurt, or maybe it’s because it had just come after the fantastic sing along session that Colin had lead for 16 Military wives. Perhaps if it had been moved to a different point in the set I wouldn’t have felt that way, and is really the only change I would make to the setlist. Closing out the set with Sons and Daughters was also a good choice as it has the wonderful build up at the end which is great for crowd participation and is an excellent segway into the encore.

I don’t know why Culling of the Fold didn’t actually make it onto the album and is only available as a special accompanying download, but it sounds fantastic live. Colin taking someone’s cell phone to sing the lyrics into was also a high point. Interestingly, although this was on the setlist for Monday it didn’t get played on the NPR live stream, nor is it there now. That’s odd, so I’m glad I got to hear it on Sunday. And even though I think I was meant for the stage is one of the ultimate closing songs that the D’s have (CA 1 and YABB being the other), closing with a Cautionary song was a great idea. Funk, John Moen, and Lisa came out into the audience and weaved around the crowd with drums, cymbals, and maracas. They created a circle and did handstands with assistance. A