Melissa’s Recap:
Yeasayer singer Chris Keating said he didn’t believe Kansas existed; he thought it was some magical, far away land.
But on June 2, fans gave them a welcome Dorothy would be jealous of – by packing the Granada Theater for the band’s first show in the state.
The one-man freak show known as Hush Hush opened. With his huge beard and gangly limbs, he confidently danced around the stage alone, hitting high notes over smooth R&B beats. 
A few songs into his set, it was clear this was not just some weird gimmick – this guy is actually talented, and he seems to be (mostly) serious about his music (minus some incredibly vulgar lyrics that I feel uncomfortable even trying to type out – so I won’t).
And his strange (but awesome) solo act upstaged the second band, the Smith Westerns.
This five piece from Chicago just did not match the energy of Hush Hush and Yeasayer; their breathy vocals and straight-forward melodies fell a bit flat among the other acts. They seemed to sense the more somber vibe from the crowd, dedicating one of their songs to “everyone who’s giving [me] a dirty look right now.”
They may have been only partially serious, but the crowd wasn’t very responsive. Everyone seemed to be anxious and waiting for Yeasayer.
The lights faded as hip-hop blasted through the speakers and Yeasayer calmly took the stage as fans clapped and screamed in excitement. They started with “Madder Red,” one of the more melancholy songs from their latest dance-inducing record, Odd Blood.
Though it was a calmer start than expected, the lights, smoke and their album-quality live performance laid the framework for the rest of the night.
Their hour-long set included a mixture of songs from their debut album, All Hour Cymbals (2007), to Odd Blood to new songs to be featured on their next album – and from this preview, Yeasayer will keep producing incredible ambient pop that’s sure to draw in even more fans.
They also played “Tightrope,” a delay-heavy, slow-moving harmonic song from a compilation album titled Dark Was the Night, easily one of my favorites from the show.
Other highlights included the more poppy singles “O.N.E.” and “Ambling Alp” that got everyone moving wildly – and Yeasayer thanked fans for making this a fun show.
Bethany’s Recap:
“I’m always feeling Yeasayer.” That may be an inside joke with my friends, but it is also a fact of my life. Since I first saw the band all the way in Manchester, Tenn., during Bonnaroo, I’ve been enamored with their live show. I found myself driving to other cities to see them – Chicago, Omaha, and so on. Each time I’ve been dazzled by the lights, my throat left sore from singing along and my feet happily echoing my dance moves from the venue to my car.
But I had yet to see Yeasayer on my home turf. Finally, for the first time, Yeasayer would make it to my humble home of Kansas. We’re notorious for not dancing and not singing here – jaded hipsters standing around with our beers and only giving slight nods if we approve. What would happen with Yeasayer? I guess they were as uncertain about what would happen in Kansas, too. They tweeted this pleasantly surprised statement after the show:
Lawrence, Kansas. Wow what a crowd. Who knew.less than a minute ago via TweetDeck 
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Yeasayer
Who knew? When the odd, yet entertaining Hush Hush took to the Granada’s stage, the crowd was small. However, they were excited and many started dancing along with Hush Hush. Hush Hush is a guy in a crazy ensemble and computer, dancing and singing around the stage. The music was a little R&B/synth pop, but honestly, it would probably be unforgettable if it wasn’t for Hush Hush’s stage presence. That guy knew how to work it. With a big beard, cut off shorts and a fancy jacket, the guy danced, jumped and ran around singing his provocative lyrics. He bantered with the audience and as I said, left us entertained, but also scratching our heads in bewilderment.
Just a few months ago, Chicago’s Smith Westerns visited neighbor city Kansas City, but this was their Lawrence debut. The band has been touring heavily behind their 2011 release Dye It Blonde. Despite all the acclaim they’ve received for the album and the buzz around their SXSW performance, the band has kept a modest attitude. Their set was significantly toned down from Hush Hush’s performance, but it was just as engaging. They’re kind of the wild card on this tour because they aren’t dance rock like their tourmates, but instead they perform garage rock. What made the band even more impressive is that they’re also significantly younger than the other bands on the bill – like x’s on the hands young. But their youth only gives them great lyrical fodder about growing up and longing. Their talent with tight writing and sensible h0oks could easily make you suspect them of being veterans of the stage for ages if you were wearing a blindfold. I can’t wait to see what this band continues to produce.
Oh, Yeasayer. I went into this show already knowing that I liked this band. I left the show knowing that I would always love this band. If you’ve never heard their music, they’re a Brooklyn band, but they have a wordly sound. The band describes their sound as “Middle Eastern-psych-snap-gospel.” It’s the type of music that is impossible not to move to – I know I found myself dancing. Three of the guys switch of vocal duties, which only adds to their unique sound enhanced by swirling synth loops and big percussion. I was thrilled to hear “Tightrope” early in the set, a song they contributed to AIDS benefit compilation Dark Was the Night. We all eagerly clapped along to pretty much every song they played and the room was explosive with dancing during “O.N.E.” The band ending out their regular set with the highly-anticipated “Ambling Alp.” After hearing all my favorite singles and plenty of tantalizing new songs (the band is heading back to the studio after this tour finishes), I could have been a happy camper if that was the tune I went home carrying still in my head, but as my friend leaned over and said, “They have to play an encore.” And my friend wasn’t just saying that because now there is an expectation that every band will play an encore, regardless. My friend said that because looking around the venue, everyone was blowing up. I had never seen such hunger for an encore. So with a reaction like that from Lawrence, yes, Yeasayer really would have to play an encore. The group came back out and obliged us with two more fantastic numbers, ending with “2080.” I imagine there were some sore feet after all that dancing.
Yeasayer Set List:
Madder Red
Tightrope
Henrietta
O.N.E.
Devil and the Deed
Mondegreen
Rome
Wait for the Summer
Grizelda
Sunrise
Ambling Alp
///
???
2080
