Access Atlanta > Arts > Our Reviews > Archives > 2005 > September > 30 > Entry
The Decemberists
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sept. 29 at the Tabernacle
Shortly after drummer/asylum escapee John Moen abandoned his drum kit to do a hopping, twirling dance at the front of the stage, lead singer Colin Meloy launched into “We Both Go Down Together,� a song about a suicide pact between two lovers that rhymes “tattooed tramp� with “labor camp.� An evening with the Decemberists is not another night of Bic-flicking arena rock ‘n’ roll.
A joyful amalgam of rock, folk, performance art, guerilla theater, power chords and tableaux vivant, the Decemberists’ show at the Tabernacle, their second in Atlanta this year, was an endless delight, a piñata of surprises and pieces of bliss. Their geek-chic camp followers were the type to get delirious when they realized Meloy was going to close the show with “The Mariner’s Revenge,� a nine-minute song about whaling that ended in perfectly executed chaos. This was the kind of crowd that when Meloy introduced Moen as a narcoleptic, they knew what it meant.
Other rockers might have taken the occasion of pausing between tunes to shout, “Atlanta! How ya doin’ tonight?� Meloy, in Rivers Cuomo glasses and too-short necktie, instead told the crowd at the mid-point, rather calmly, “I don’t feel like I’ve appropriately bonded with you yet. We’re all standing in this big room together and we hardly know each other.�
Know this: The Decemberists are a quintet (who drag extra musicians on tour, like the marvelous Petra Haden) from Portland, Oregon, who are three CDs into a popularity that’s small-scale by mass-market standards, but surprisingly large considering their songs are about gay hustlers, ghosts, spies, royal children and injuries at youth soccer camp. As well-constructed as their songs are on CD, the band really pushes them to the next level in concert. Plus they get to wear porkpie hats and play bird calls.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Pop Music
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Kate
September 30, 2005 1:19 PM | Link to this
The Decemberists have wonderful lyrics that remind me of reading a Garcia Marquez story, with all its mystery and magic. I love them and am so mad I could not go to their show last night!