Tuesday night was awesome!
As I walked into Lincoln Theatre, I told the door man I was on the list. He couldn’t find my name. Needless to say, I was worried I was not going to get to see the show. He went to talk to someone and a few minutes later, everything was worked out and I pushed past the bar to a large crowd.
Wye Oak was a few songs into their set as I moved toward the front. I saw them already in July, outside Lincoln Theatre during DejaFest, so I had high hopes: I was not let down. Jenn Wasner, the lead singer and guitarist, pushed through some heavy riffs while maintaining her subdued, low-key vocals. All the while, Andy Stack effectively played drums and keyboard, turning out an ambidextrously awe-inspiring performance.
As they concluded their set, a team of techs bustled around for 30 minutes, setting up instruments that spanned the entirety of the (well-sized) stage.
Okkervil River excited the huge crowd, as they were the reason a majority of the concert-goers paid for the show! As the band started, I was taken aback. I was not expecting the fullness of sound to hit me, and the crowd liked it too. As the set waned on for over an hour, Will Sheff’s voice started to wear down both him and the crowd. The middle of their performance was mediocre, as it included a mini acoustic set of pretty boring folk, but a second wind came as the entire band condensed on the stage.
Second or third to last, the band played their biggest hit: Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe. Attempting crowd interaction, the band enticed the audience into an 8th-note clap; it was really fun at first (the stereo effect it created was astounding), but it wore on for the audience. The last few songs were solid, with the band playing their instruments in lengthy outros that were pretty interesting. I had to get home after they finished, so I can’t report on the presence of an encore, unfortunately.
Essentially, Lincoln Theatre probably has the most professional ambiance of any area club, which is fantastic. Add to that great music presented by Cat’s Cradle and you have the perfect setup.
-John