Fleet Foxes, Tivoli Theatre, 11th of January 2012

Well folks, I was all set to transfer this blog over to Wordpress when either I clicked something to make it better or Blogger just suddenly got better. I am currently using an interface which doesn't suck and this is making an already satisfactory week even better. Congratulations for reading my thoughts blogger! (We'll see how long this lasts, and if I've broken the internet by typing the word 'blogger' into blogger.).

Now, remind me never to use the word 'folks' again, folks. 

Wednesday night was the second night of Fleet Foxes' Brisbane tour, on the back of their critically favoured second album, 'Helplessness Blues'. I'd heard just enough of the new one to discern a few enjoyable favourites, although I would describe the new one as "very Fleet Foxes", without quite as much magic as their 2008 self titled debut. Anyway, I arrived with gig posse just in time for support act Grand Salvo to start his slot, being a bearded folk singer with naught but his acoustic. As he commenced I noticed that the crowd was a quite distinct mix of old and new, with a fair serving of black-framed-glasses hipsterosity. So much so that the lady in front of us walked up to a black-framed stranger, thinking he was her black-framed husband for a few too many seconds until she found him standing on the other side of her. 

Grand Salvo with a boat

Back to the performance! While showing obvious talents on the strings of his guitar, and a sweetly tuned voice to accompany it, the consistently themed tunes he played us were also consistently melancholic-ally dull. It was clear he was chosen for the finger plucking melodic sounds that the Fleet Foxes share, but the interest value was very lacking, and I felt lulled to sleep more than pumped for the headlining band. Perhaps I'd enjoy him better as background music on a wintry afternoon. 

There was very little time to wait before the Fleet Foxes followed his departure, luckily, and frontman Robin Pecknold and company graced the stage with a visual image of stars trailing behind them. A bit of a fumble and they launched into "The Plains/Bitter Dancer" from the new record. Suddenly we were all awake, awed by the powerful crescendo of lushness, and amazingly strong harmonies, broken up by the perfectly synchronised verse chants. Another bit-too-long fumble later and they continued with "Mykonos" from their 'Sun Giant' EP. The band's pauses between songs were a little longer than expected, probably due to their preparation for each special arranged tune, as some members switched from mandolin to guitar, from double bass to flute, and so on. This was noticed by a few crowd douchebags who screeched out songs for them to play as they got ready, and most embarrassingly boganesque "YEAHYEAHH!!!"'s, dog calls, and the kind of yelling reserved for Rage Against the Machine gigs. I don't know if the perpetrators did this to be ironic or as a joke on the band, having been dragged there by others perhaps, but it wasn't funny and it even lead to Robin saying something like "That's not the way to behave in such a tasteful venue as the Tivoli theatre". Robin, drummer Joshua, and other guitarists (view fail.) were pleasantly engaging during these pauses, with relaxed banter and conversation about badly treated cymbals and the Brisbane heat. 

Christian Wargo (bass) and Robin Pecknold (beautiful, beautiful vocals)

Skuler Skjelset (lead guitar) and Morgan Henderson (most other things)

The sensational music continued with highlights from 'Helplessness Blues', including "Sim Sala Bim", "Battery Kinzie", and the lovely opening track "Montezuma". I can't express enough how perfect their harmonies and intricate instrumentals interacted together to create the most fantastic replications of their album songs. It was pristinely clear and completely un-faultable, and in combination with Robin's earnestness in his performance, was even better than on record. An array of visual patterns were projected to support the songs from time to time, and the continual rising of stars made the band look as if they were floating towards us, powered by their music. (I'm a wank.)
My favourite moments were their selection of songs from their first album, including harmony heaven "White Winter Hymnal", the brilliant "He Doesn't Know Why" (with that all powerful bridge "THERE'S NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTHING I CAN DOOOOOOOOOOOO..." projected to utmost satisfaction) and rollicking "Ragged Wood". To finish off before their encore, they decide to replicate the end of the new album, firstly "The Shrine/An Argument", in its layered, almost schizophrenic glory, and the quiet "Blue Spotted Tail" preluding the energetic "Grown Ocean". 

Circle of Robin

It didn't take long for them to come out again for a bit more fumbling and then a nicely packed encore. They treated us to  a lovely bunch of self-titled album songs, including constantly requested "Oliver James", (you lucky pesks), "Sun it Rises", and "Blue Ridge Mountains". Finally, as I had predicted to myself, they left us with their title song, "Helplessness Blues", which powered along fantastically leaving me slightly bittersweet that it was all about to end. Naww.
The crowd trudged out of the Tivoli with great difficulty, and a kind of speechless cloud was over me as I exited. What an amazing start to the year this performance was! Exclamation! The bar is totally set high by the FF's, and it's going to take a lot of perfection to beat this gig. My bittersweet thoughts appear to be shared, as a fellow gig attendee reported on facebook later "That was inspirational and upsetting. Acceptable and infuriating." Agreed.


9 snow topped trees out of 10. Please imagine these trees as we embrace this searing hot summer. Ahhh.