Don't Bring Me Down (roosht)

[lizish]

 

Wow. Only time seeing the New Pornos after being a fan for what, 7

years. It was also the first stop in the NP/Okkervil River 2 week tour

and I had a grandly marvelous time. Neko seemed to need to warm up the

pipes, but once she got going, I wanted to be one of those concert

goers who asks her to marry. Seriously. My Sister and I were doing

these awkward, jerky and not at all appealing dance moves the whole

night, not because we wanted to, but because we had to. What a

wonderful show.

 

Now, admitting that it is my first time seeing them, it may be that

somebody else comes in a say it was only a so-so show. I don't have a

leg to stand on, but simply, they are wrong.

 

I had seen Neko and her Boyfriends a number of years ago, but the

reverb and the flipping of the skirts turned me off. There was of

course none of that last night - well, maybe a tiny bit of reverb on

her vocals, but nowhere near the drenchy levels of her solo shows.

It's like I can finally hear her voice in concert without the

equivalent of a wha-wha pedal.

 

Personally, the best thing was phoning my daughter in Italy and

holding up the cell phone for the harmonies of Challengers. I cried

just for the emotion of the whole thing, missing her, her missing a

concert by her favourite band and just generally loving the moment.

 

Rhythm section - again wow and there doesn't seem a lot of emphasis

placed on Collins and Dahle. Those punchy songs would not have their

power or even exist with those 2.

 

The encore started with ELO and then jumped off to Slow Descent into

Alcoholism. I was in heaven.

 

Okerrvil River was also really good. To be truthful, I spent

a lot of time only watching what Charles Bissel was doing and I gotta

say his presence added weight to the songs. You know he how gets into

that perfectly timed, wrens-crunchy rhythm? Well, that added to

Sheff's lead was fantastic.

 

Bissell used only an electric and there was a promo postcard

announcing the 'Charles Bissell Covers Will Sheff/Will Sheff Covers

Charles Bissell exclusive 7 inch available this May at

www.Okkervilriver.com' We'll see. They may mean May 2009.

[bböp]

Awesome, T! Glad you got to see them, and I definitely love their version of "Don't Bring Me Down." Someday you've got to catch a show when Dan is with them as well. That adds, ahem, another element to the proceedings!

 

Looking forward to seeing a show from this tour in a couple days, both the NPs and Okkervil with Charles.

[Dreamin']

My Sister and I were doing these awkward, jerky and not at all appealing dance moves the whole night, not because we wanted to, but because we had to. What a wonderful show.

Awesome review. Thanks!

 

The NP are more fun than a basket of puppies. And Kurt Dahle is a blast. I just love to watch him!

 

[quote name='bb

[pnêyu]

I wanted to be one of those concert goers who asks her to marry. Seriously.

Whoa, that's huge, especially coming from you.

 

Personally, the best thing was phoning my daughter in Italy and

holding up the cell phone for the harmonies of Challengers. I cried

just for the emotion of the whole thing, missing her, her missing a

concert by her favourite band and just generally loving the moment.

 

One of my best friends already wears the title of World's Coolest Mom, but there's alway room for more. It's in the mail:

 

[lizish]

Thanks you three!!

 

 

Just reading that Bejar stays in the green room, comes out for his song(s) and then goes back back to the green room. Very Strange and I've got to see that sometime.

 

They did do 'Testament to Youth and Virtue' and I did a double take thinking 'wait a minute this is a Bejar song'. As much as I love Carl Newman, he can't do the indignant voice quite as well.

[Dreamin']

Just reading that Bejar stays in the green room, comes out for his song(s) and then goes back back to the green room. Very Strange and I've got to see that sometime.

When I saw the full band a few years ago, they kept a cooler of beer onstage as a lure to get him out there.

[pnêyu]

Just reading that Bejar stays in the green room, comes out for his song(s) and then goes back back to the green room. Very Strange and I've got to see that sometime.

Substitute "comes" for "staggers" and you've summed up the few NP shows I've seen with Dan in the crew; maybe alcohol was the reason Dan didn't object to Carl's explanation for "Entering White Cecilia."

[lizish]

Ok, U what was 'Carl's explanation for "Entering White Cecilia." ?

[W(TF)]

Don't want to shit in anyone's punch bowl, but isn't it "Don't Bring Me Down (varrooop)"?

[lizish]

think it depends on the African or European version of the song.

[pnêyu]

Ok, U what was 'Carl's explanation for "Entering White Cecilia." ?

Carl offered two explanations for the song, and of course, the only one I can remember is the one about having sex with a white woman named Cecilia. Dan didn't say he was wrong, though.

[Serak_the_Preparer]

When I saw the full band a few years ago, they kept a cooler of beer onstage as a lure to get him out there.

 

I saw Dan last night at the kickoff of Destroyer's new tour. Before the show started he called for the merch dude to bring up a load of the cheapest beer the bar had Destroyer sounded great - big range of tunes from all his albums.

[Preferred B]

I saw the NP's tonight in Madison. Despite no Neko or Dan, still a very fun show. They played "Don't Bring Me Down" as the encore, and it was great. Also, "Myriad Harbour" with Will Sheff performing Dan's part:

[indy81]

No Neko in Madison?? Damn, I'm glad I decided not to go. That wouldn't have been a nice surprise. All the advertisements and promotion specifically said she was going to be there.

[LouisvilleGreg]

She was on crutches last week in Richmond and it sort of made for a bit of an off show, and no "Myriad Harbor" that night, and that's a real shame as it's my fav on "Challengers." They did hit all of the hight points in the back catalog though. So, so show.

[Wendy]

No Neko in Madison?? Damn, I'm glad I decided not to go. That wouldn't have been a nice surprise. All the advertisements and promotion specifically said she was going to be there.

Pitchfork announced it Friday that she had to leave the tour for her injury. It's too bad, I was looking forward to seeing her in Cleveland, but to be honest I was primarily going just to see Okkervil River.

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/page/news/50...nographers-tour

[virtualreason]

Okkervil surprised the heck out of me. I had gotten Black Sheep Boy and The Stage Names last month and really got into the sound; but the live performance is spectacular. Probably overshadowed the NPs last night. I know that they're doing something like 8 days in a row to close out the tour, and it showed last night. There wasn't the normal energy coursing through the place last night. Maybe it was because the orpheum FUCKING SUCKS! Minimal rant: I hope I never have to see a show there again. The setup doesn't allow for the band to feed off the audience and vice versa; it leaves you craning up or looking down the entire time. BAH! [/] I'd really love to see the show last night at the Barrymore--the orpheum wasn't even close to filled, so it probably would have been better suited elsewhere. I'm sorry for all the negative vibes, but I've never come out of a concert more disappointed in my life.

 

Also, "Myriad Harbour" with Will Sheff performing Dan's part:

 

Ditto

[lizish]

I certainly like Neko with the NPs, but Gotta say that Katherine Calder is no slouch in the vocals department. You could definitely tell her voice in the harmonies and it was really beautiful. In TO with Neko there, Katherine was manning the keyboards and singing backup, but during Neko's lead, Catherine was mouthing the words away from the mic. It was kind of cute.