Mocky Horror with the Decemberists

September 19, 2005

Sons and Daughters, Petra Haden and the Sellouts and then the Decemberists. That’s a pretty good lineup, no? One right after the other at the Henry Fonda Theater, two nights in a row.

I really love “Repulsion Box,” but the live Sons and Daughters set was a bit of a mixed bag. I liked the manic energy, the way the singer stomped around on stage and danced like a live wire and the way the bassist seemed to drink a beer every song. It was a bit ragged though, and the vocals were a bit over the top at times, mixed too loud into the screechy range.

I’ve seen Petra Haden and the Sellouts before, and I thought they were better at the John Anson Ford Amphitheater a few months ago. The singing was spot on as usual, but the choir of voices seemed to overpower the PA at times. The crowd seemed a bit confused by the presentation, many of them not knowing about Petra Haden’s side project, some not even knowing she was a full member of the Decemberists.

The Decemberists seemed to start off slow for this show, playing both “Shanty for Arethusa” and “Bagman’s Gambit” in the first half. “Kingdom of Spain” featured some wonderful slidework by Chris Funk, while “Eli the Barrow Boy” had Funk on banjo along with some nice violin work by Petra Haden. The setlist seemed very ballad heavy until the end, but the band seemed to be saving its heaviest hitters until the end. They brought out James Fearnley from the Pogues on accordion, and blasted through “Sickbed of Chuchulain,” “Chimbley Sweep,” “Mariner’s Revenge Song” and then a one song encore of “The Tain,” one epic song after another. I haven’t seen people dancing this happily like this since Jack and Rose went below deck on the Titanic.

The last time I wrote about the Decemberists, I remarked that they were well onto their way to becoming a full on Rocky Horror Picture Show. They took another step with this show, keeping some bits and refining others. The audience is still throwing undies during “Los Angeles, I’m Yours,” paper bits during “16 Military Wives.” Colin Meloy still throws a tambourine at the end of the break in “Sporting Life,” but it’s at other band members instead of the audience. For the huge musical interlude for “Chimbley Sweep,” Jenny Conlee butted heads with Fearnley in an accordion duel for the ages, including bits of “Inagaddadavida” and “Smoke on the Water.” Before the interlude finished, Meloy convinced the entire audience, and I mean the ENTIRE audience, to kneel down before him as the music subsided. The throngs then pogoed up in unison as the music swelled up again. In the other big participation moment, the band once again asked the audience to scream as if being eaten by a whale during “Mariner’s Revenge Song.” Chris Funk has upgraded his whale call though, complete with foam core jaws that he runs around chomping on audience and Decemberists alike.

The theatricality is getting a bit out of hand, but the band has done a good job of keeping it with certain songs that might get tedious otherwise. “Revenge Song” is an 8-minute stomp with rare choruses, so the audience scream makes for a great release. The “Chimbley Sweep” antics put another layer to the show while the long solos drone on and on. I love the foam core whale because it looks like Max Fischer producing a KISS show. I can’t wait for the stage explosions on “Soldiering Life” for the next tour. As long as they’re not distracting from more moving numbers like “Red Right Ankle” or “Angels and Angles,” I think the band will be alright.

Posted in From Blown Speakers