The Decemberists

Friend had a spare ticket and he asked me if I wanted to go. The show was at the Metro here, and I didn’t hear them before. They’re part of this new Portland scene that’s becoming big.

They do folky music with melody but have a unique style about them. I was reminded of 10,000 Maniacs by some of their songs. The audience were mainly the “artistic” type (not hipsters), and were into them. People who attended, you could tell, were really into them.

Funny thing: About half way through the set, the singer, in between songs, tells the audience that they were going to play some Ministry. The crowd started cheering. I thought I misheard this and he was talking of some song they were going to play next.

Sure enough, the band went into playing this weird folky version of Stigmata for a few minutes. That surprised me a bit. It was actually done well.

What also surprised me was that the crowd knew the song and cheered the band on. Some were singing along to it.

Anyhow, I was between the concert and the bar downstairs, Smartbar, as Andy Rourke from The Smiths was DJing there. He played a good mix of music, including some of the new Depressed Mode…

Ah the Metro…I miss that venue.

I haven’t seen the Decemberists but I did see their lead singer do his solo act opening up for the Violent Femmes here in Seattle. It was a benefit show for the zoo and there were lots of families there with small children. The singer made some comment about not singing one of his songs about the ghosts of dead children, which was really funny, although the family crowd didn’t really think so.

I’m not into folky stuff too much, but he played an interesting set. I would have loved to hear that stigmata cover. Sounds exactly like his sense of humor.

Saw the Decemberists opening for The Pixies. The Decemberists did nothing for me. Seemed too deliberately cute & quirky. In all fairness, they were tight, and I can’t imagine anyone who digs their music not enjoying them live. No Stigmata.