Andrew Bird @ Bowery Ballroom, NYC 1/17/07
Andrew Bird is cooler than you. Well, cooler in that tall, distracted, mad genius way, the sorta character that can have nervous tics of personality and head motions and still seem like the guy you need to know. Last night's Bird show at Bowery Ballroom was a sell-out, and despite songs mostly from his forthcoming release, Andrew kept our attention on him and off the inevitable, frigid walk home. (Someone please explain global warming again, this shit's confusing.)
Unlike last time we saw him at Bowery (with French-singing chanteuse Keren Ann), he wasn't alone; Andrew brought frequent collaborator Martin Dosh (composer/performer of last year's crazy-good Last Take) to handle drums, loop triggers, and keyboards, along with a third man on guitars and bass. Martin takes a writing credit on the awesome, new Bird tune "Simple Exercise." Look out for it.
If you've seen Andrew, you know he needs nothing more than his loop pedals, a naked foot (crowd kids had to remind him to peel off his fancy kicks when he was having pedal-tapping issues), a guitar, a violin, a glockenspiel, and those whistling lips to create full symphonies out of single-phrased melodies. Dosh's deep-pocket, ghost-noted drumming only sweetened the deal. Mad geniuses tend to sound good together.
Even without much Mysterious Production, the deeply-in-love expressions of the girls up front were proof enough that, as long as Andrew continued mumbling tangential anecdotes, conducting himself with swinging arms mid-whistle, and singing those Rufus-meets-Buckley larynx stretchers, he'd have the crowd's full support and loving gazes. Thing is, the new stuff does sound great, virtuoso performing and charming head bobs aside. Expect an expansion on the course plotted over the past few records, with a dash of Dosh for good measure.
Armchair Apocrypha is out 3/20 on Fat Possum.
Posted at 3:02 PM in Concert
Tags: Andrew Bird | Dosh
Andrew Bird has the best voice I've ever heard. Not his singing voice, just his voice period; it has that whole wavy sorta "I'm too cool for school" beatnik tone to it that automatically makes me want to be him.
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It's true. Real men want to be Andrew Bird. Real men play violin. And whistle. Glockenspiel makes the ladies swoon.
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Definitely talented. Lookin' forward to his next album
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it's true. my ideal man is andrew bird.
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I am so glad the new album is not on Ani Difranco's label. Now maybe some non-bloggers will get a chance to hear his music!
If there were any marketing or publicity behind his last record he might've given Sufjan some serious competition for the consensus "best album of '05."
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i can attest to his greatness....i saw him open up for devotchka for new year's weekend a couple of weeks ago....i have a live show here
http://julioenriquez.blogspot.com/2007/01/andrew-bird-black-session-live-03-21-05.html
for those that weren't able to catch him live....
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I was wondering what media outlet you represented, as you typed notes into your crackberry. I was next to you, taking notes with my fountain pen in a red moleskine. (;
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I posted some of Bird's new songs taken from the Live Music Archive at this url: http://staergetaleht.blogspot.com/2007/01/diggin-thru-live-music-archive-so-you_18.html Check it out to hear some of the new material. Which sounds excellent.
The Duke
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damn it, I am so insanely jealous every time someone talks about getting to see andrew bird live. I missed his last round of cali shows, and even though my favorite group is the bowl of fire, I have never seen him live! Curse you, stereogum!
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i'll admit, i was one of the girls up front with a "deeply-in-love expression". but i won't apologize, that man is magical.
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playlist for Andrew Bird http://www.seeqpod.com/music/?plid=0b0304153e909c6d4af1708fb328c59cfa9f3c43
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I saw him open for the Magnetic Fields and he blew them off the stage.
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He blew them off the stage? Then how did you see it?
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I've been seeing Bird live since the Bowl of Fire days, and every single show has never been less than incredible.
If you get the chance to see him live, take it. Unless, of course, it means you'll sell the show out and I can't go.
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Global warming has disrupted the jet stream that normally controls "typical" weather. While there are extended stretches of warm weather, which we recently expereinced, the "typical" weather still emerges (for now, one day it will global warming will win out and Jimmy Buffet will be enjoyed by ALL!)
What... you asked.
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A friend of mine hooked me up with the new album.. and I can so far attest that it is truly amazing. Not sure whether I can say if it's better than Eggs. Too early. But it is very cohesive and smooth as usual, with a bit more of Dosh's keys and such.. plus that girl that sings on some of his older stuff is back ( i think it's the same one), and the harmonies are stunning.
Album artwork is nifty as well, might I add.. and Jay Ryan wasn't even involved (as far as I know).
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the Dosh song is called "Simple X", and yes, the new record is absolutely stunning, better than Eggs (which i didn't think possible)
and it's not Nora on this record, it's Haley Bonar
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ah, yes. i pushed my way up to the front when he played at SXSW this past year, and was totally swooning. i have an acquaintance who is a friend of his and she told me he is happily attached (clutches heart)... he IS the perfect man! and it was easily the best show i saw at SXSW.
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