The Decemberists with the Mann Music Center Orchestra @ Mann Music Center, Philadelphia

Just got back from down south as I witnessed the best musical performance I've ever seen from The Decemberists. Not only have they confirmed that they are operating at creative level far beyond your mortal major label band, they've proved that they can pretty much accomplish anything musically they want.

I figured I was done with the band for the year after their stellar March show in Jersey City, but seeing them in a totally different element was too good to pass up. The Portland band have now joined the ranks of Metallica, James Taylor, Elvis Costello and Puff Daddy in performing in front of a live orchestra.

The show as a whole far exceeded my expectations. The sound and the performance was larger than life and I felt like I was witnessing something that was greater than any regular concert. It was also nice to have Philly have a leg-up over New York, since the Decemberists with orchestra tour was a short five city affair.

When I saw the setlist before the show, I noticed how short it was. Then I realized, "Whoooaaa. The Tain!" which I had never seen done live until now.

• Crane Wife 1 & 2
• Infanta
• We Both Go Down Together
• The Bagman's Gambit
• Odalisque
• Perfect Crime 2 (no orchestra)
• Los Angeles, I'm Yours
• The Tain
• O Valencia! (no orchestra)
• I Was Meant For the Stage
• Encore: Baby Song (Colin solo)
• *Some Song I Never Heard, something about burying babies*

So the actual printed setlist had 16 Military Wives and The Mariner's Revenge as the encore with the whale all ready for display, but it was scraped. It's hard to complain about such a stellar show, but who knows why the Mariner was scrapped. Colin did come out and ask everyone, "So, what do you want to hear?" which prompts the crowd to shout every song in their catalog. The other observance: Colin was not his usual chatty self. He cracked about wearing a seersucker suit in hot weather, but that's about it.

The Tain with the Mann Orchestra was beyond what I imagined it to be. It became an almost cinematic type grandeur, like a Nino Rota score for a Fellini film that can rock. With a circus style march/waltz, it brought a whole new layer of style to the 20 minute song. My wish is that the band recorded these live shows for a future record release because it would be shame if their fans never heard this rendering of The Tain. The song loosed up the band, as they were all much more lively performers. Drummer John Moen came up front to dance a little a jig with his melodica.

It is interesting to note that they began the show with what would normally be their closer, The Crane Wife 1 & 2. It did set the tone for the whole night in that nothing will be subtle -- you would hear the heavy brass section kick up during the more fuller parts of the song and then the string would take over for the more delicate section. I think if I had to sum up the Decemberists/orchestra collaboration with one word, it would be "scope." While the band's songs have been based on simple literary stories, with the orchestra these personal songs have an expansive, epic quality, making it much more emotional.

I was in the front row for the show, and when you don't have anything separating you and the performer, you feel like it's your own personal concert. As you can imagine, when I was done my photo thing, I was transfixed during every song. The show went by so fast, it started on time at 8, and ended 9:30. The Mann Music Center holds roughly 10,000 with that big lawn section, but tonight there was an attendance of roughly a fifth that. In any event, a decent audience respond to this rare undertaking.

So, check out these sweet photos.

Comments

[Brian]

I saw you there! I was the kid that recognized you. I really would've liked to hear Mariner's Revenge also...

i really wanted to see mariner's live. it was pretty much the reason i went, as i'd already spent a ton of money on them earlier in the year.

and once again i didn't get to see it.

nice review by the way. :)

[Jessica]

Awesome review! I'm so glad I found it because I was thinking of writing one but now I don't really think I need to. I also picked up on something going on with Colin. I was in the second row in the pit, and I just felt like he was sad or something, and now that I know they were planning on playing Mariner's Revenge and Sixteen Military Wives it seems sort of obvious, but I think it definitely took so much away from show... It's the fourth time I've seen them, and while I was completely floored by the tain, the lack of audience interaction left it feeling a lot less like a decemberists concert than I'm used to.