Rock-n-Roll Is The New Porngraph(ers)

The New Pornographers came to town.

And I was there.

It was absolutely amazing.

I originally wanted to write a show review, but then I read the River Front Times show review and just got upset. It’s no fun reading something that overanalyzes every aspect and choice of a concert, while nitpicking at every wrong detail of a show. It definitely seems like the writer didn’t go there to have a good time, but just to judge the show (which actually is justifiably considering that’s what a review is, but still, no fun to read).

I went to the show for one simple reason: I love The New Pornographers. I went out of love, not to judge. And I had no qualms whatsoever with the show. I LOVED THE SHOW. I DON’T KNOW WHY EVERYONE IS SO DAMN CRITICAL. STOP BEING PITY BITCHES DAMNIT.

I digress.

I’m a bitter fan boy.

Lessons to be learned from the show:

Bejar crooning with Newman and Case being msuical 

The rotating front line of vocalists Neko Case, A.C. Newman, Dan Bejar, and Kathryn Calder mixed and weaved through each song with such uncanny harmony and accord it made them look like one big family: Newman as the father and frontman extraordinaire, Neko Case as the disgruntled Mom that can just fucking croon like none other, Bejar as the weird, awesome uncle that only shows up on Christmas, and Calder as the new blood trying desperately to prove herself. And she does. She totally does. Every singer brings something fresh to each song and watching them mix and sing the night away can mostly just be described as ecstasy. Pure ecstasy.

Bejar was my absolute favorite part of the evening. Crazy hair, skinny pants and the most unusually pleasing voice in music. Bejar would just wonder off and on stage for each song that needed him, completely chill with a beer in one hand, while wrapping the other around the microphone, knocking each song he sang completely out the park. Myriad Harbor has never sounded so sincere. He also took the lead on the final encore song of Testament to You in Verse. Best encore I’ll probably ever experience.

Neko proved that she’s the best and what she does and Calder was just a joyous ball of energy.

Best Concert I’ve ever been to.

I leave you with this:



Joel Samson Berntsen (Testament To You In Verse - The New Pornographers)