Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Okkervil River & The New Pornographers, Live at the 9:30 Club, 4-14-2008

I just wanted to say...I was there. Before I left, I told myself that I wouldn't post a proper review of the show. So I arrived without a camera, without recording equipment, and without a worry about remembering setlists, banter, etc. - in other words, I left the critic's eye and ear at home. Liberated, I lived in the moment with the rest of the fans in the mixed-age sold-out venue. It was like taking a night trip to Canada to see a dream rock combo.

Here's what I took with me:

Okkervil River - the opening medley of The President's Dead and Black, two of my favorite Okkervil songs, and from the start, Will Sheff was ON. Also, the blissfully noisy parts of Our Life Is Not A Movie, and the collective shiver I imagined we all felt in the solemn A Girl In Port.

The New Pornographers - It was A.C. Newman's birthday, and we attempted to sing the Birthday Song in unison, but it didn't come out that way. The gift was to us - The Electric Version, From Blown Speakers, and The Laws Have Changed, and All For Spinning You Around enthralled, My Rights Versus Yours, All The Old Showstoppers, Twin Cinema and Use It were also crowd-movers, but the euphoric height of their set was The Bleeding Heart Show, stunning even without Neko Case, who was sick.

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