Concert Review Number 3: The Decembrists

Concert Review
The Decembrists
April 14, 2007
The Pageant



So if you are an indie rock snob you need to hear, taste and see The Decembrists. Like so much of the genre it occasionally sounds like recycled Cure, Colin Meloy is odd enough and self involved enough and....well read enough to keep it interesting. The Pageant has over the years worked out it’s sound issues but we were lucky enough to be sitting at the center right in front of the sound board in seats saved for us by someone with even less of a life then me.

The crowd was older and well...a little too respectful. The show was opened by “My Brightest Diamond” who frankly...I walked out on to go sit out in the Halo Bar. It just seemed too contrived and self involved. After a brief break Meloy and his band came out, 5 of them including keyboardist Jenny Conlee, Drummer John Moen, Bassist Nate Query and Guitar multi instrumentalist Chris Funk. They came out while we were all treated to listening to the Russian National Anthem. The only reason I knew that was because i was in the company of a Russian studies major.

The show was...great. the sound...impeccable. the crowd, with the exception of the people I was with was quiet and tuned in...kind of like in church. If the music wasn’t so good it would have been kind of creepy. But it was not creepy. It was just great. One of my friends not so familiar with the band asked apropos of nothing “all his songs seem to be about death and murder.” What can one do but look, smile politely and shrug. Murder, mayhem and madness, all set to lovely melodies.
All the songs sounded great and were very true, perhaps too true to the albums they came off of. He played songs from all over the catalogue including the current hit “Oh Valencia,” “July July, (The Perfect Crime #2) and “Sons and daughters.” On the down side there was one forced sing a long in which Meloy directed the crowds into groups and well...if i never saw another indie rock sing along directed from the stage... my life would be no poorer. My only other complaint about the show was it’s lack of length clocking in at about and hour and fifteen minutes though the short encore did include the fake whale which is featured in the cheerful “The Mariners Revenge Song.”

The show was one of the best I have seen in a long time. His musical styles are so interesting and the melodies so good that seeing them put on livemade for a rollicking good time...and that is what we are all about. Isn’t it? 9 Slingers out of 10.