Monday, March 06, 2006

My Belle and Sebastian Days


I love Belle and Sebastian. I have been a fan of them since 1998 when I bought The Boy With the Arab Strap (same year as Cat Power's Moon Pix). Unfortunately, I have always live in towns (Hartford and Las Vegas) where they never toured. I did happen to see them at Coachella 2 years ago, but that venue was just too big for their music. When they announced their spring tourdates on the east coast in support of their new record The Life Pursuit, I knew I had to see them. Because, I am such a gluttonous fan of theirs, I saw them in Philadelphia's Electric Factory March 4th, and again last night at DC's 9:30 Club.
The Philly show was pretty good. Electric Factory's acoustics suck, as the opening act, New Pornographers, sounded awful, but B&S had their own sound guy, so it wasn't too bad when they played. Their set included a lot of the new record, but highlights were also Me and the Major, Judy and the Dream of Horses (with a Indian girl from the audience singing along- she was good!), Slow Graffiti, Sleep the Clock Around, and I Don't Love Anyone.
The DC show was better. 9:30 club's acoustics were much better. In this set, B&S included The Stars of Track and Field, Jonathan David, A Century of Fakers, The State I Am In, a cover of the Beatles' Birthday (for their monitor engineer), The Fox in the Snow, and Get Me Away I'm Dying for the last song.
Tonight's show is going to be simulcast on NPR.org.

4 comments:

1000yregg said...

listening to the npr simulcast of the march 6th show. stuart called the 9:30 club the best venue in north america. right on!

K Tacik said...

Just starting BSG season 2 here!! don't ruin anymore!

Your triathlon sounds much more vomitious....Roman showers are your next plan I bet!

Anonymous said...

Hello!

I'm friends with the girl who was pulled up on stage. We drove from Ohio for the show and didn't know camera policies of the Electric Factory, so neither of us brought cameras. As such, my life for the past week has been scouring the internet and Googling everything I can think of looking for anything with Thishi in it. Pictures, video, video of Stuart but you can hear her... I've had little luck and it is most distressing.

Do you have anything?

Thank you!
Michelle (marythefan@gmail.com)

Anonymous said...

Howard,

Reading your blog on the Philly concert was a great recap! Too bad our venue pales in comparison to D.C.'s. Despite... I had a great time. Belle & Sebastian are real entertainers. Thanks again for the invite.

JH