The second standout show last year was another complete surprise. St. Vincent performed at Lawrence's low-key Bottleneck. For starters, The Bottleneck is very much my type of venue. Not too large, not too small. The crowd was just the right size. I could get casually close enough to the stage to evoke a feeling of intimacy, but there were enough people at the venue to make the show feel very special. Then there was an opening act I will not soon forget. Wildbirds and Peacedrums weren't exactly what I was expecting, but then again, they aren't the type of band you expect in any format. Consisting of two players, a regular drummer, and girl on a pair of kettle drums, the look of them wasn't very promising. Expecting an act you could probably hear on the street corner, these two brought out sounds and emotions using these two instruments and the girls voice that I don't think I've seen in any other performance. Experiencing Mariam Wall's vocals the first time raised eyebrows at first from its raw emotional intensity, but as the stone-silent room got a feel for the overall soundscape, a curious and skeptical audience was eventually won completely over and really felt the groove. I have to hand it to St. Vincent for picking such an arresting opening act, and I honestly can't wait for her next visit just to see who she chooses next.
But of course, that wasn't even the highlight of the evening. St. Vincent (also known as OKC native Annie Clark who originally got her start in the bizarre pop-choral group The Polyphonic Spree), brought the evening home with a heavenly mix of multi-instrumental weavings and genre bending soundscapes. Her brand of raw emotional naivety was at once electronica, folk, and dance. Songs would be both rockers and lullabies at the same time. She reminded me of a contemplative Bjork, with a sweeter, more subtly dispositioned voice and a pared down soundscape. I was completely overwhelmed and have been itching for another dose ever since.
Looking back on that year of shows, I wonder where the magic came from. This year, I have attended more shows and haven't seen the magic again in quite that way. Starting this summer, I made a list of shows I wanted to see, and so far, having kept up with the rigorous schedule, I haven't experienced anything even close to the mark. I've tried veterans of my tried and true ipod mixes like Ben Folds and Decemberists, and a few new faces like Yeasayer and Umphree's McGee (more free tickets!), but nothing has matched the awe inspiring experiences of last year.
To top it off, last night was an all-time low. Seeing Gavin Degraw wasn't on my original list, but dating has taken me to a few unexpected places this year, and a girl I just met really wanted to go. It was a free show, so what could wrong, right? A brief youtube exposure only told me very little. He was sugary-pop a la Collective Soul, and he wears really dopey hats. What I wasn't prepared for is what apparently amounts to his biggest draw: his sex appeal. Now, I have no problem with artists working it in order to sell some records, but to be honest, the last time I saw moves like Gavins, it was a girl and there was a pole involved. Fortunately, even my date saw the folly in Gavin's humiliating performance and decided we should make an early exit from the meat market crowd that he drew with KC-live's free-admitance.
Pathetic. I'm really not sure where to go next. The last show on the first leg of my "bands I want to see this summer" tour happens on Tuesday night. DJ Shadow at the Beaumont. Being a Tuesday night, I'm a little afraid I won't be able to enjoy it as much as I want to really get my money's worth, or to get even close to the amazing experiences of last year. But I'll try to remain optimistic and enjoy the show. Maybe my lowered expectations will help get me to a place where a pleasant surprise really amps up the enjoyment factor.
Ah, but wait, how could I forget?
4 weeks ago I got the opportunity to see my first Peter Gabriel concert. Peter is currently touring with a full orchestra and put on a stellar performance at the Starlight. Peter leaned heavily into his back catalogue to mine out the songs that would benefit the most from a fantastic orchestra arrangement. The whole performance would have been better categorized as a symphony than a concert. When he finally got the third and final act of his dramatic opus, Red Rain was a welcome reflection to something more mainstream and recognizable. With the storm blowing into the amphitheater, I literally wished that Red Rain would indeed fall on me. It was intense, and magical.
So, maybe this year hasn't been a complete loss. I shouldn't give you the impression that standard artists didn't do their best to bring a great performance to the table. Both Ben Folds and the Decemberists performed admirably and there were great moments in each show, but I'm still on a quest for that holy grail of greatest show of the year. I'm not giving up. DJ Shadow, you are up to the plate. Hit me with your best shot!
