Concert: The Decemberists (Night 2)

For the second Decemberists show on May 30th, I had purchased a special VIP ticket which got me early entry and a meet and greet with the band. At about 5:45 they let the VIP line in. I had learned the day before that 120 VIP tickets were sold for each show, which seemed like a lot to me. I also learned that there's no way to tell someone that you're standing in the VIP line without sounding like a total douche...

I met a few people in line that were pretty cool, and we hung out in Lola's Room which is another venue on the floor below the Crystal Ballroom. It's pretty small - 340 people capacity - and that's where the meet and greet was. There was a table with some food from Ringler's Pub downstairs, and everyone got a drink ticket. The band didn't come in until about 6:30 (they were supposed to come in at 6), and the girl (can't remember her name for the life of me...) I had met before and I immediately went over to Colin since we knew he was going to get swamped and we wanted to get up to the stage before the early entry from Ringler's were allowed in.

I told him how much I appreciated what the band was doing for Victory Academy since I used to babysit for a boy that was on the autism spectrum. I also gave him a little salve package (my mom makes organic salves and lip balms, so I gave him two lip balms and a 'healskin' salve that's good for scrapes and cuts).

After that I went around and met the other band members with the girl and gave each of them a lip balm that my mom had made. They all loved them - John (drummer) put it on right away, and Nate (bass player) said it would be perfect for his 4-year-old who is very into "lipstick" right now.

I asked Chris Funk (various instruments, guitar, steel pedal guitar, theremin, etc.) about what the story is with the small deity that's always onstage with them now. Apparently it's Athena, and they stole it from the dressing room of a venue they played at once. He actually remembered me from the Black Prairie show at the KINK Bing Lounge which was super cool.

I finished the meet and greet by talking to Jenny Conlee (pianist and accordion player), who over the course of our conversation ended up reveling there would be a new Decemberists album and tour early next year. I also ended up talking to her about piano lessons, which I'm now taking with her!


                                        Colin Meloy                                                                                   Chris Funk

                     

                   
                       My whole family was in the front row                 Signed poster included with VIP ticket


I got to the barricade (front and center) with a few people from the meet and greet, but there were only about five of us there when the early entry from Ringler's came rushing in. My family were one of the first groups in, and there was actually enough room for us all to be in front together which was kinda cool.

Sallie Ford was the opening act, she came out with a new band (all female which was badass) since 'The Sound Outside' had split. She was excellent, and Chris Funk (who is producing her latest album which I found out at the Black Prairie KINK Bing Lounge show) came out for a few songs.

The first part of the set was the Castaways And Cutouts (2002) album - same as the night before. Although I thought the first night was better than the second, due to the 80's Video Dance Attack happening in Lola's Room below the Crystal. The bass could be heard from below which really sucked during the slow songs.

After a half hour break they came back out and played the exact same second set from the night before. I was a little surprised that they played the same set since I've seen them play back to back nights before and it was always different, but I guess they haven't played in a while so they probably only rehearsed those specific songs.

Like the night before, Colin played Hank Eat Your Oatmeal which went into Calamity Song, and the rest of the second set was as excellent as the night before.
When they came back for the two song encore, Colin made a joke about the 80's Video Dance Attack that was still happening below, and the band ended up playing Your Love (an 80's song by The Outfield) with Chris Funk on vocals.

This is the song for reference:

They played almost all of  Your Love, then went into 16 Military Wives. Towards the end of the song, Chris Funk and Colin Meloy had a bit of a 'guitar solo battle', and stood on the speakers between the barricade and the stage. After a bit of back and forth between them, Colin handed his guitar to the girl standing to the left of my dad, and Chris went to pull a guy up onstage who was a few people to my right. The guy didn't want to go up though, so he pulled up the girl next to him. I was super bummed he didn't pick me at first, but then John got off the drums (Colin took his place), grabbed a Tom drum that Chris had used for Rake's Song, and held it out for me to play from behind the barricade!

John was talking to me as I was playing the drums saying that "I could get a job doing this", but then went on to say "Nah, you'd be better off getting a real job" (not condescendingly, but in a joking way) , and also saying that he had "No idea how long this will go on for".

It was total chaos for a little bit: the girl was onstage playing Chris's guitar (with him helping her), John was holding out the drum for me to play, Nate got tired and sat on the drum platform with his giant upright bass on its side in his lap, and Jenny was keeping the beat.

Then after a good five minutes or so, John told me that they were going to 'bring it back', and left the drum for me to play. Colin came back out gestured for the audience to lower down - which they (of course) obliged to do (even me still playing the drum as I did so). Colin took the mic stand and was standing on the speakers in front of the stage about to end the song, when the stand disconnected and he was just holding the top part. A crew member rushed out to put it back into place, but it was very funny.

Like the night before, they ended with June Hymn, and it was a lovely, magical finish to to a fabulous night.