Dark Was The Night

Last night, I was fortunate enough to attend the Dark Was The Night concert/benefit at Radio City Music Hall. The night was a good one. Radio City is a wonderful place to see a show and the artists that performed were all notable. The sound very good. The room was open like a clamshell. The reverb was rich and loving. We almost left after the first set because of the disconnect between trying to work yourself into having a good time and enjoying something and actually doing so. As with all of these types of things, there was much smug self-satisfaction doled out amongst patrons and performers alike.

Bands included The Dirty Projectors, The National, My Brightest Diamond, David Byrne, Dave Sitek (from TVOTR), Bon Iver, Feist, and Sharon Jones.

Let me focus on the good things. Here were the good things. The National debuted a few good new tunes. David Byrne brought on some cool percussionists and they sounded pretty good and Feist did a duet with him and that was nice too. Then the intermission was fun because we got to go to the restroom.

The actual parts that I actually enjoyed started with the second set which was more passionate and had far more energy. From my perspective, and because I’d never seen Justin or his band play live before, this was a coming out party for Bon Iver. Justin’s voice is beautiful and that is known and it’s also known that he can be sensitive etc. But the force and power of the touring band he’s got in place and the harmony of the vocal arrangements and the emotion behind all of it was quite beautiful. My Brightest Diamond came out to sing on ‘Flume’ from ‘For Emma …’ and the whole thing was like a big wallop and, in contrast, a very pleasant and earnest group of performers like The National look a bit workmanlike, I must say. Bon Iver was a punch to the gut. I can’t wait to hear more stuff, more fully realized, more songs written, with a bigger more electric sound. There are places to go for Justin and his group of merry performers.

Next up in the second set was Feist. She came out with just herself and because she’s Canadian the vibe was kind of like a Neil Young kind of deal especially because I’ve been listening to Live at Massey Hall. I am not the hugest fan of most female vocalists but I have respect for Feist. She has grit and soul and her voice sounded perfect and well placed among the rafters and lights of the Radio City. She just strummed an acoustic and then got out an electric for the last bluesy number. She’s not the world’s best guitarist but she’s more than competent and makes up in soul and passion what she might lack in technical proficiency.

Her solo performance, tapping time with her left shoe, her jeans rolled up, a big ol guitar strapped to her. That was a nice coutnerpoint to the melodrama of Bon Iver and that was a very nice thing indeed.

I’m supposed to say that the highlight of the evening was Sharon Jones but I’m not going to say that because it wasn’t and there’s probably a whole essay that could be written on the weirdness that ensued throughout her performance and the Pete Seeger encore but, again, I’m not supposed to say anything about it. So I won’t. I’ll be polite.

But here’s the deal. Bon Iver is the real thing as is Feist. And the rest of the bands were the real thing too but the highlights of the night were those two performances and I’m telling it to you straight my friends.

Als0, just in terms of things and things, if you’re going to play your guitar, amigos, turn that shit up, because it deserves to be heard and I’d like to hear it. You know?

Dark Was The Night

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