The Decembrists are surely the Decembrists. Even six years after their last album and 23 years since their debut EP, Portland's quintessential indie folk group remains as identifiable as themselves. The biggest differences might be that frontman Colin Meloy becomes a little more Ron Swanson in his mustache and standard time signifiers.
It may seem boring, but it is not; There is certainly something to be said about feeling comfortable and confident in who exactly you are. Fans Wouldn't Want The Decemberists to Be Nobody but The Decemberists, and if the band's show at New York's gorgeous, newly renovated Brooklyn Paramount on Friday, May 3 is any testament, The Decemberists' 2024 tour has them at their most delightfully deceitful.
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First of all, having Ratboys on the road is nothing short of a pleasure. Although they fall more on the Midwest than Pacific Northwest end of the indie spectrum, the Chicago quartet's alt-country touches make them a good choice for a Decembrists opener. His 2023 album, Window (one of last year's best LPs), has considerably improved its profile; Hopefully such a prominent spot on the tour will keep them on their well-deserved rise.
As for the headliners, it takes some real confidence to open your set with a three-song acoustic performance. Meloy performed the new single “All I Want Is You” for the first time alone with trumpeter Victor Nash and backing vocalist Lizzy Ellison. The full band came to the front of the stage to perform “Shankill Butchers” and “The Bachelor and the Bride,” forming the kind of intimate tableau usually reserved for a mid-set cool-down. However, as the crowd applauded the first accordion notes of the incomparable Jenny Conlee, this was a perfectly appropriate way to introduce a decemerist ensemble.
With the bucolic painted backdrop and bright lighting (a band choice or another notable feature of this instantly appealing new venue?) behind them, the band seemed particularly light during the 15-song set. With such a rich catalogue, it is difficult to say that everyone present was able to hear his Song of the Decembrists. That, of course, is part of the pleasure of his music; Even if you're not listening to your ideal setlist, you'll inevitably hear something that will make you smile.
And so it was during the course of the set. Playing most of the complete songs from their discography once or twice, the band especially focused on their next As it always was, so it will be again. In addition to the opener, there were “Burial Ground,” “Long White Veil,” and “Oh No!” Admittedly, the single encore of “Joan in the Garden” sounds a little more indulgent in its 19-plus minute live duration than on record, although listening to The Decemberists copy the '70s rock epic that is the movement end of the song is hell. a way to end a deceitistic show. (Okay, maybe the more things change, the more they stay the same.)
From the looks of the setlists for the first shows of this new tour, the band won't be changing things up much (unless you go the extra mile for the two-song VIP pre-show set). So, as they are in so many (positive) ways, what you see is what you get here. And that is downright wonderful. I hope everyone has as much fun singing the chorus “La de da de da” from “16 Military Wives” as the Brooklyn audience did, and that Meloy details the law of sound propagation on the balcony to explain why they sound so terrible . I hope everyone applauds Conlee when she squeezes that box for the first time. I hope Chris Funk's impassive facial expression never changes.
Because that's what makes a great Decemberists show, and it looks like that's exactly what you'll get on their current tour.
Check out a full gallery from the band's Brooklyn concert, including shots of Ratboys, below. Get tickets to the rest of the upcoming stops on his tour through StubHub, where orders are 100% guaranteed through StubHub's FanProtect program. StubHub is a secondary market ticketing platform and prices may be above or below face value depending on demand.
Photo Gallery: The Decemberists and Ratboys at Brooklyn Paramount – May 3, 2024 (click to enlarge and scroll):
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