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Fun Fun Fun Fest review: The New Pornographers
The New Pornographers took the stage around 7:30, full band in tow, a treat for many as this meant that frontman Carl Newman shared the spotlight with tambourine-toting vocalist Neko Case. Songwriter Dan Bejar, who had earlier joined violin loop-master Final Fantasy for a Broadway-style sing-along, also graced the stage when the band played his songs, his vocals at times reminiscent of pre-Bringing-It-All-Back-Home Dylan.
The Pornographers have been on the road for awhile, playing almost every night since August, and while such a schedule can take its toll on some bands, it only seems to have made them stronger. Newman and Case have also had plenty of time to perfect their stage banter, which included sharing a Rice Krispie treat (and Case throwing a couple to adoring fans below, who will probably enshrine said treats).
The hour-long set consisted mostly of songs off the bands new album, “Challengers,” as well as plenty of crowd-pleasers off 2005’s “Twin Cinema.” When “Challengers” was released earlier this year, the critical response seemed to be that Newman and Co. had offered up a sort of lite version of the band, a not-so-inspired showcase of different solo artists taking turns singing their own songs. Whether or not there is any truth to that sentiment, the band showed that they are plenty capable of bringing it just as hard on tunes like “Myriad Harbour” and “All the Old Showstoppers” as they can on Twin Cinema’s “Jackie, Dressed in Cobras” and “Sing Me Spanish Techno.” They closed with an epic version of “The Bleeding Hearts Show,” with synth/laptop/video-director Blaine Thurier firing up the crowd with a melodica.
The one low point of the set was the sound, which was fuzzy and only got worse as the volume increased. The crowd, dancing and singing along with every song, didn’t seem to mind.
(Photo by Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
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