Vote for Pedro (the Lion) (and Low)

Alan Sparhawk of Low in Somerville last Saturday (the 5th of February). Pedro the Lion opened. I like seeing shows at the Somerville Theatre because you can buy disgustingly faux-buttered popcorn.

I had heard that Low's new material was jarringly "louder" and "more rockin'", and it was, but what seemed really different was how the new songs seemed angrier, almost vicious, in a way that I didn't expect. This was apparent even when they didn't rock out. Case in point: "Cue The Strings", performed live and acoustic, sounds exactly—deliberately, I presume—like "Will the Night" performed without the saccharine string arrangements. But where the latter asks Will the night last forever? Stay by my side the new song answers with a resounding "nah": Here comes that cold sunrise.

This was the first time I've seen Low without being curled up at their feet, gazing beatifically up at them. I took some photographs, but, from up on the balcony, most of them turned out rather abstract. (I think the images at Pas longtemps were taken by the blonde woman in front of me leaning though the guardrail.) I dug the retro lighting.

During "Everybody's Song", Alan Sparhawk seemed to be playing the guitar with his face; he later demonstrated the technique and admitted that he had learned it from Def Leppard. The Pedro the Lion guy talked about how indie rock bands should have residencies instead of tours; the Arcade Fire could just buy a theater in Branson, Missouri. "I mean, imagine what they could do with that. They could get trapezes and shit." I enjoyed how both bands mercilessly shot down song requests. (Pedro the Lion: "See, we have this list." Alan Sparhawk: "Sorry, I was asking them"—his bandmates. I only wish I'd been at the New Pornographers show at which Neko Case admonished, less diplomatically, "Why don't you shut up, you hipster indie snobs!")

Bradley's Almanac has mp3s of selected songs from the show, including a new one by Low, possibly called "Dragonfly Pills", which I quite like. Jon videotaped it and put it at the end of a documentary available in streaming quicktime on The Brain (scroll down to where it says "The Eye"). (I asked Jon if I'd see him at the Antony & the Johnsons show at the MFA, and he replied that he'd be in Belgium for the first and only performance by Mimir. Typical.)

Next: Christine meets Antony and they talk about clothes!

Comments

[julien]

hi Christine
I remember seeing the blonde woman you refer to shooting from the balcony, but it wasn't me! I was seated on the right side of the third row (and I'm a boy). Thanks a lot for the link. I read your site often and I like it.

[sushiesque]

julien: thanks for the clarification. (I didn't check if your site was a boy or a girl because I just liek the pretty pictures. also, my french is atrocious.) someone should set up a site that indexes all the overlapping show reviews/pictures that bostonians post...