 |
| Photo by Stacy Schwartz |
It didn't take very long for the Avett Brothers to thoroughly connect with
the sold-out First Avenue crowd on Friday night. "Shame," the second
song of their set, turned into a rousing, responsive singalong with the
audience, and proved to be one of many sparks that ignited the North
Carolina quintet's spirited two-hour performance. It was an uplifting,
exuberant evening that found both the band and the massive crowd in
receptive, generous moods, and that communal atmosphere helped
transform the Avett Brothers already stirring songs into redemptive,
electrifying anthems.
It seemed that the band was just as
excited to be at First Avenue as the appreciative audience was to have them, with
Scott Avett exclaiming enthusiastically as the band strode on stage,
"Thanks for coming out on a Friday night!" It was clear right away that
the band was in fine spirits and looking forward to a fun and memorable
evening. And from the energetic opener "And It Spread," to their lone,
tender encore "I and Love and You," the band poured everything they had
into their animated 21-song set, and the crowd danced and sang along to
every single tune. It was impossible not to get swept up in the
irrepressible poignancy of "Tear Down The House" (performed
acoustically by brothers Scott and Seth Avett), and the stark
emotionalism of "Head Full Of Doubt/Road Full Of Promise," with the band
and crowd alike collectively losing themselves in the compelling mood of
the music.
 |
| Photos by Stacy Schwartz |
The
dynamic combination of "January Wedding" and "The
Perfect Space" midway through the set perfectly exemplified the
universal appeal of the Avett Brothers; they have an uncanny ability to
weave
ubiquitous sentiments within their straightforward
lyrics and indelible melodies, creating striking songs that anyone and
everyone can identify
with. The utterly gorgeous "Laundry Room" was the highlight of the set
for me, and finished with another satisfying singalong between the band
and their adoring audience. The inclusion of a bouncy cover of Roger
Miller's "Where Have All The Average People Gone" was a nice surprise,
and the superb blend of "Go To Sleep" and "Matrimony" were splendid set
closers. But the band had one last tender missive left for the
audience -- an impassioned and heartfelt "I and Love and You." It was a
perfect sendoff from the group, who truly connected with an audience
that clearly hold these songs as close to their hearts as the band
does.
And that shared affection went a long way towards making this
performance such an invigorating, emotionally charged evening, and
easily one of the best live performances I've seen so far this year.
Openers
the Low Anthem clearly pleased their longtime fans, and hopefully made a
lot of new ones, during their quietly confident 45-minute performance.
The band gradually won over the crowd with stirring renditions of
"Don't Let Nobody Turn You Around" and "Home I'll Never Be." And while
their quieter numbers were unfortunately somewhat lost on the
boisterous Friday night crowd, by the time this talented band (who
traded off instruments dexterously all set long) finished with an
enthusiastic version of "The Horizon Is A Beltway" it was clear by the
generous applause that those who weren't aware of the
Low Anthem coming in to the show, clearly were after their lovely set.
Write Comment
Email to Friend
Print Article
