Reviewing The New Pornographers
The New Pornographers played back-to-back (sold out I believe) shows at Webster Hall. The shows were under the banner of the "Bowery presents" since they were initially slated to play at the Bowery Ballroom instead. As I understand it, ticket sales caused the change of venue. Webster Hall is built to hold more people but the sound system (even after years of being home to concerts) is so wretched that I was a bit deflated when I finally remembered it wasn't going to be at the Bowery. The bands each had to contend with it at some point or another in their acts. Neko quipped that she was nearly killed by it when her earpiece popped audibly even for those of us in the audience.
The crowd was something else I wasn't expecting. This was my first time seeing the Pornographers (nice that it was in their entirity unlike the Prospect Park concert earlier this year) and I was shocked at the number of high schoolers there. Not sure why I was but it's been ages since I've been surrounded by people nearly (gasp, realization sets in) 15 years my junior. Teenagers + power pop = a lot of jumping up and down in place. I think Einstein first calculated that. You could feel the floor moving along with them.
I was also shocked at the amount of pot wafting through the air. Now, I'm not so clueless despite the above graf to not expect it at a show but we're talking jamband levels here. Maybe Phish played a show here a year or two back and fans forgot to move along. I dunno. Course, it could've been Bejar who was offstage, nearly naked and eating pizza most of the show.
The entire evening was a family affair essentially. Immaculate Machine is Pornographers' keyboardist Kathryn Calder's other band. Destroyer is to Bejar as Trent Reznor is to Nine Inch Nails. He was joined on stage in the Destroyer set by Pornographers' drummer Kurt Dahle and I think Frog Eyes' guitarist Casey Mercer but I'm not 100% sure.
Immaculate Machine has equal portions baby-faced pop charm and arena rock lunacy. The former is owed to the look and harmonies of guitarist Brooke Gallupe (who looked like he belonged in the audience rather than onstage, he's so young) and Calder. The latter is all on drummer Luke Kozlowski's mighty shoulders.
I'm still not 100% sure what to make of Destroyer's live show. The way Bejar presents himself on stage is every bit as formulaic as the music isn't. I had some difficulty with processing that. Musically it's interesting as Bejar starts to bridge his more experimental impulses with his increasing interest in traditional structures. I have no doubt he's smarter and more talented than say, Wayne Coyne of Flaming Lips who I think can be said to be in a similar place but I'm not sure how well Bejar will transition. You can see him noticably chaff at times when he veres too traditional. Coyne on the other hand can let it non-chalantly slide off his back. Really interesting stuff going on here.
The Pornographers themselves took the stage and ruled with a iron fist inside a velvet glove through their set and multiple encores. The set list was all you could ask for (barring the omission of the oft-requested Centre For Holy Wars and Jackie): it hit most of the high points of Mass Romantic including Letter From An Occupant, Slow Descent Into Alcoholism, and Execution Day which allowed Neko Case, A.C. Newman, and Bejar each the chance to shine respecitvely. I'm a little shocked they didn't play Mary Martin Show but I gather that's not everyone's cup of tea even though I adore it. They smartly eschewed much of the less stellar second album, The Electric Version essentially confining themselves to Case's standout number on the album, All for Swinging You Around and one or two others that make the album worth having but not listening to often. The bulk of the songs from the new album, Twin Cinema were played (no shock there since the tour is in support of it) but once again, they hit the smart highlights. I'm thinking here of songs like The Bleeding Heart Show, These Are the Fables, Three or Four, and Stacked Crooked (where Newman gets to prove himself every bit Bejar's experimental equal).
One of the reasons why the third album, Twin Cinemas is so good and can nearly rival the debut effort -- which is probably one of the smartest pop/rock albums since Pet Sounds -- is that the numbers are all orchestrated and produced with an extreme attention to detail. The production value is polished without being distracting. It also makes use of their dynamic harmonies which at the end of the day have as much strength as they do in no small part thanks to the voice and attitude of Neko Case. Case, while successful as a solo act, can easily and willingly sublimate herself into the overall effort of say, The Pornographers, or The Sadies or whomever she performs with at any given time.
Be sure to check out our photo gallery of the show. I'm especially partial to some of these pics.
Update...and as it turns out so was the band's websmistress. She's added several pics to the band's official website. Thanks again, Lena
