PHOTOS: CHAD ELDER | Maintaining and operating at a high level of greatness is not an easy thing to do. Especially in a creative field. This is one of the many things that has made Spoon stand out since they first started releasing music 20 years ago—they are consistently fantastic.
Spoon has been performing and creating music at a very high level and are one of those indie bands you can’t file into a “sounds like this” category. Okay, yes I know Spoon has influences but they have a sound that is distinctly theirs, led by accidental rock star Britt Daniel and the band’s driving but subtle keys and guitar textures.
It has been four years in between albums for this band—a lifetime in our world of one hour news cycles and 140 character attention spans, but it was worth the wait. I don’t think I ever will understand the idea of “constant stream of content” and that artists should be consistently releasing music. Constantly creating, yes…releasing, no. I think of Spoon, especially with this stellar last album They Want My Soul, as that friend that we all have who doesn’t reveal a lot but when they do it’s always pearls of wisdom. Who cares if you are talking if you are just talking to make noise?
This being said, there was little talking and onstage banter at this show and Spoon started the set off with an assaulting version of the first track from this latest album, “Rent I Pay.” The bar was set for intensity after that and did not decline an inch through their entire two-hour and two encore set.
Another testament to Spoon’s greatness and strength of their catalogue is that the set of songs they played spanned their career and they easily flowed in and out of new songs from older songs. The band took some liberties showing off their chops as musicians with fan favorites like “Don’t Cha Evah,” “I Turn My Camera On,” and “Got Nuffin.” Britt Daniel, who is the most unlikely rockstar, leads his band with an unforced ferociousness and the confidence that comes with being master musicians.
The high energy crowd was clearly made up of long time Spoon fans and those who had grown with them over the years which made for a fun night where everyone was dancing and singing all the words. The show was a real SHOW with stellar lighting (which served the crowd’s Instagram photos well) and something this concert goer enjoyed…the generous use of the disco ball, which added to the overall jubilation.
Although I know I am there to critique and comment and perk up my discerning ears, I couldn’t help but get lost in the rush and energy of the room, of the excellence and familiarity of the songs that defined a certain time in my life, and that kindred feeling between me and the groups of people next to me who probably shared similar life experiences to the soundtracks of Gimme Fiction and Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga.
This is what music does, it transports. So, thank you Spoon for taking us on that journey.
