Usually, Mondays are the worst day of the week. But the sun was shining and by some last minute graces, my schedule cleared just in time to check out the bands playing at one of the most beautiful venues in Lawrence. For once, this was my favorite weekday. 
The venue, Liberty Hall, doubles as a movie theatre and because of that construction, it promotes great visibility of the entire stage no matter where you’re located. This attribute would actually be very handy for what was lined up for the stage on this particular evening, one of Canada’s many overly-talented collectives: The New Pornographers.
I arrived just after the start of Imaad Wasif. I had seen Wasif tour with Yeah Yeah Yeahs way back in the day, but this was my first experience with his solo work. I had been told to expect folk rock, but while I braced for a Dylanesque sound, I think the time with Karen O had pushed Wasif more to just a rock sound. Sure, the guy was on an acoustic guitar, but as he thrashed his wild mane around, and bursted out his raw, edgy vocals, there was no way I could call that anything, but rock. But even that isn’t quite the right genre. Wasif sometimes incorporates nontraditional tunings and tonations, which is cool, but since it isn’t what most ears are used to, it is a bit hard to access at times.
The next act also incorporated some nontraditional sounds, but in contrast to the Wasif, this music was incredibly accessible whether you like rock, classical, pop or some other genre. The trio is riding on that wave of popular NW US, sunshine indie sound with big percussive elements and lots of harmonies that’s making acts like Local Natives garner buzz. And when I say big percussive elements, I mean BIG. Did you know it was possible to bow a vibraphone? Because apparently it is and when you do that, it sounds like playing the glass harmonica. Nearly every song featured some sort of syncopation between the percussionist and the drummer, resulting in every song being upbeat with not much downtown to lose interest. Then the icing of all this was that they actually used dynamics. Like real dynamics! A lot of times, I see a band and they have loud and one louder, but the use of crescendo and decrescendo in a rock band is something I rarely hear. After seeing them live, I think I might have a new CD to take over the car stereo.
Boston‘s “Foreplay” heralded the entrance of our Canadian superstars in the New Pornographers: Dan Bejar (Destroyer and Swan Lake), Kathryn Calder(Immaculate Machine), John Collins (The Evaporators), Kurt Dahle (Limblifter), Todd Fancey (Fancey), Carl Newman (A.C. Newman), Blaine Thurier, and finally perhaps the most recognizable member, Neko Case. It’s almost unfair to the rest of the bands in the world that that much talent can be in one band together. Almost. I’m just glad I got to see all eight members together on a stage, which has become harder and harder to achieve as each continues to gain individual success (I’m looking at you Neko). As can be expected when you have 8 members on a stage, the show was like a party. With so many people, I was glad to see them keep the stage set up simple; they were accompanied by ‘The New Pornographers’ in dangling lights as the backdrop. The next hour and a half of music was filled with hit after hit song, smiles, alternating group vocals between the three primary singers and occasional fourth and lots of tambourine. One of my favorite moments of the night was when Newman and Case bantered about an upcoming waltz number.
“This might be the greatest waltz time ballad we ever wrote,” said Newman.
“It’s the only waltz time ballad we ever wrote,” retorted Case.
Newman smiled: “So we’re in agreement?”
“That a passive hint that you should waltz. Make love to the dance floor,” said Case.
And as the band began their greatest waltz, sure enough, people coupled up and began dancing. I couldn’t believe how many couples were at this show and the wide variety of them. Apparently, the New Pornographers equals a love fest. I really enjoyed one couple, probably in their 50s, down in the front row take up the band on the waltzing suggestion. It was a lot more tasteful than the significantly younger couple directly in front of me that took the band up on the “make love to the dance floor,” suggestion instead.
Aside from that one disgusting PDA couple threatening to damper my show experience, I couldn’t have asked for a better night. If you want an evening of carefree, happy, indie pop music, this tour is the perfect night out.
The New Pornographers Set List:
Sing Me Spanish Techno
Up in the Dark
Myriad Harbour
Crash Years
The Laws Have Changed
Jackie Dressed in Cobras
Adventures in Solitude
Twin Cinema
Sweet Talk, Sweet Talk
Go Places
Jackie
My Rights Versus Yours
Moves
Your Hands (Together)
Use It
Silver Jenny Dollar
Mass Romantic
Bleeding Heart Show
Challengers
Testament to Youth in Verse
