Andrew Bird – Live, The Scala, London, Thursday 7th June, 2007
Due to the sort of behaviour generally unheard of in an obsessive music anorak, I missed St. Vincent’s support slot for Mr. Bird due to spending the time in the pub with an old friend, chatting and catching up. I do acknowledge that this is unacceptable behaviour for a blog pervert though, and unreservedly apologise. In future I will endeavour to remember where my priorities lie. So I’m afraid that ‘discovering’ St. Vincent will be another job for another day for Mr. Toad.
Andrew Bird, on the other hand, had me positively sweaty with anticipation. I’ve heard much and downloaded a fair bit, and generally I’ve always had the impression that he was absolutely mind-blowing live. Ultimately, I think I expected a little too much and, although he was very good, he didn’t bowl me over. Probably this is my own fault for expecting a near-religious experience, which really isn’t fair on anybody, but nonetheless I would say ‘very good, but no better’.
One thing the gig did give me was the more ramshackle heart of the supremely polished recent album Armchair Apocrypha. I’ve found that album a little too slick and shiny to truly love, but the versions here had all the imperfections that generally let me relate to music more closely, which is a very good thing.
There were some moments of genius here too, my favourites being a theatrical solo version of Why? from The Swimming Hour and a lovely rendition of Weather Systems, both from genuinely pre-fame era stuff. It stood out that Bird might be one of the most technically superior musicians I have ever heard. His violin playing, to the ear of the pig-ignorant philistine, was absolutely ear-meltingly lovely and, honestly, I could happily have listened to him play the entire gig by himself with little more than his violin for accompaniment.
So, he’s great, I’ve now seen him and it was really very good. Maybe my excessive expectations led me to be a little disappointed, but there was something there that I didn’t quite connect with, heart and soul, and occasionally, when a performer hits you clean between the eyes, that’s exactly what can happen.
Andrew Bird – Why? (Live)
Andrew Bird – Weather Systems
ah, well, so you’re saying you give him a 7.9 or so? (on a pitchforkian scale, that is).
i feel personally responsible for your heightened level of expectations, and i feel kind of bad about it. i realize that borders on the crazy, but i do.
that said, i did love the new album much more than you did going in, so maybe that accounts for my near-religious experience. or maybe you’d had too much ale in the pub prior to the show and had to run to the loo too many times and that interrupted/interfered with your experience? oh, i crack myself up!
sorry you missed st. vincent. i’m pretty sure she would have been better than joan as policewoman was.
Hoi! I only had a couple of pints in the pub and one in the venue before the gig, so there were no wee-stops during the gig. For shame, woman.
And, yes, Marcy, I blame you as well, entirely. And for the bad weather this morning. And for the fact that I don’t look good in skinny jeans. Damn you, woman, is there no end to your cruelty?
I do agree with you about Joan, too. Everything I have heard of her has been pretty mediocre, whereas even the two-minute snippet I heard of St Vincent has at least tickled my fancy a little. She sounded very Feist-like.
my powers are vast and awesome, especially when it comes to skinny jeans and their fit, so consider yourself warned. for instance, are you familiar with the term “muffin top”?
i’ve only ever heard one song by ms. st. vincent and it has intrigued me sufficiently such that i would seek out more, however it didn’t strike me as feist-y. i shall re-listen and re-evaluate.