The Many Faces of Ted Leo

February 29, 2004

About a month ago, I caught another Ted Leo set at the Echo, this time with the Pharmacists. This was the third time I’ve seen Leo, and the third different band configuration. The first time I saw him was with the five Pharmacists, the second time was solo and this time was the Pharmacists in a power trio configuration. It was a pretty good show but it didn’t really floor me like the other two. “High Party” had a good paranoid edge from the harsher arrangement and “Stove By A Whale” was a brilliantly long rave-up but a lot of the other songs just didn’t feel right.

I couldn’t really place why until I snagged a copy of Dirty Old Town: Ted Leo/Pharmacists vs Coney Island, the new concert documentary by Justin Mitchell. The doc follows Ted and the band just before and after their performance at the 2003 Siren Music Festival at Coney Island. There are some pretty basic interviews with Ted about his life and lots of shots of Coney Island, but the crux of the documentary is the live performance. For DVD, it’s not a superb soundmix, but it’s miles better than you’ll get from any bootleg, and it’s always a fun game to guess just how much Leo has sweated. The band lineup was actually even bigger than the one I saw, with six full members (two guitarists, bass, keys, violin and drums) in what Leo refers to as “The Full Dexy” style lineup. The different textures gained with the extra instruments were what I really missed, like the extra percussion on “Sin-Eater,” the way the full band just kicks in on the last part of “Timorous Me,” or the violin to close “Crane Takes Flight.” Leo’s voice isn’t top notch on this DVD and I still preferred it.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that people should buy this DVD and never go see Ted Leo without the full Pharmacy in tow. Everyone should see Leo no matter what kind of show he’s doing, but be aware of the differences and adjust your expectations. The solo show tends to be very intimate with a pretty wild setlist that will include lots of covers. The power trio arrangement gives everything a punchy, DC punk feel. The “full Dexy” is pretty clearly my favorite setup, and the one that gives Leo’s songs the widest, most beautiful soundscapes.

Oh, I hear Duffy is on this DVD somewhere, but I couldn’t spot him. I think I saw Jack Osbourne sitting at the bar in the background once though.

Posted in From Blown Speakers