Sufjan Stevens, The Tivoli, 30th of January 2011 (aka: Font issues.)

The best gig is the gig that creeps up on you after having forgot that you went on a ticket buying spree some months ago, but surfaces in your mind just in time to be attended. That gig was Sufjan Stevens for me, the first of many concerts coming up in 2011. The most chiseled hunkface of the music world, his impeccable voice and his crazy neon band, performed at the Tivoli Monday night amongst a sold out audience (lucky me) as part of his Age of Adz tour. Although having acquired the new album, I hadn't had much chance to listen to it, but I knew it was a significant departure from his usual works, albeit with that familiar Sufjan orchestral, folksy flair. Usually I feel I enjoy concerts more when I know most of the material, as obviously it can be more exciting to anticipate the songs you like most, and experience how the songs/album you know well, translates live. However, I don't think that theory applied this night, as every song was presented so well, each being unique, complex and layered, so that it was lovely to listen to with fresh ears.

Lucky, because the entire show was almost all Age of Adz as well as his EP of last year, All Delighted People. Solo support act and Xavier Rudd imitator Tim Hart played us in with his folk guitar, and was talented enough, but had nothing particularly exciting or original going on, and I was happy for his set to be over and for Sufjan to wake me up again. Oh boy (oh no!), did he wake me up.

The simple christian-boy image of Sufjan and his music was really put to the test with his new look tour of neon tape and alfoil costumes, bright makeup, fluro accessories, and cutesy dancing girls with robo-moves. They opened with the title track off Age of Adz, an appropriately epic, layered and electro-orchestral opener for the set, introducing us to the style and mood that would dominate the night. It was only broken occasionally with a few beautiful, delicate folk moments, sometimes accompanied by his entourage, sometimes just Sufjan and his guitar. The sound at the Tivoli, my favourite of all venues, was absolutely impeccable.. you could hear every syllable and nuance from Sufjan's incredible voice (credit to him as well of course!) and the band's sound blended perfectly with it. I became quite enamoured of the new material, which was often introduced by Sufjan, through either a quick intriguing description of what the song was about, or either a rather long complex tale.

The story behind the album art and the astronomical, apocalyptic themes of the songs, took a while to come out but was quite fascinating. Sufjan told us of his discovery of the schizophrenic artist Royal Roberts and his trippy, dreamy, futuristic artwork, made via simple means, such as posterboard and felt tip pen (his art was projected on the screen behind the band at various points during the night). It was lovely to hear Sufjan keen to talk about his discovery and his lead up to the creation of such an album, as a personal foray into his own psyche... instead of just rushing into song after song as many live artists do.

As the songs went on, Sufjan made a few accessory changes, including this crazy hat made out of various crafty bits and tin foil (which you probably can't see very well AT ALL) :

The whole effect was quite incredibly daunting, but amazing. The final moment involved a phenomenal 25 minute song, the super positive 'Impossible Soul' (also Age of Adzs' closer), during which at various moments I thought had changed to a new song, particularly when he decided to break out the autotune mic (yikes!!). After its enormous finish, balloons and streamers having settled on the audience, the man and his band walked off, only for Sufjan to come back soon after to play us a small selection from his signature album, Come On Feel the Illinoise. This was a real treat, and we got to hear 'Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois', followed by 'John Wayne Gacy, Jr' (omg, lump in throat), and to finish off, but of course, 'Chicago'. It provided a wonderful ending and a happy feeling in my heart.
Hearing the new stuff for mostly the first time live, was probably the best way to experience it, but although nothing will beat it, I am fast becoming obsessed with Age of Adz the studio album. It is interesting that Sufjan has taken his focus (although always subtle) away from his christian ideas and themes and toward a more open, questioning, shifting, life/death/the universe mind set... I was quite contentedly amazed at this until the song 'Get Real Get Right', in which the lyrics quite un-subtly declare "Get real, get right with the lord". I guess he's still a God-fearing dude at heart, which is fine of course, but it's refreshing and much more interesting to experience this new slant Sufjan is putting on music, art, and life. In fact, I am probably getting ahead of myself, but this new album may in fact be becoming my favourite of his to date. It is certainly showing to be at least one of the most creative.
New year, new blog rules. Rating scale!!! I give Sufjan Stevens and his Adzmazing band 8 glowsticks out of 10.