Broken Bells is the collaboration of Jsmes Mercer (from The Shins), and the producer Brian Burton (AKA Danger Mouse). Their second album After The Disco came out in February 2014, and toured for the first time since 2010.
They played in Portland (James Mercer's hometown) on August 11th at the Arliene Schnitzer Concert Hall - a venue usually reserved for the Oregon symphony. The Schnitz will occasionally host concerts, but it really isn't my favorite venue to see bands at. For starters, it's a seated venue so there's the variable of "will the crowd stand or sit the entire time?" And also the possibility that the tallest person in Portland will sit in front of you, which happens to me frequently. Also the sound quality isn't the best for rock shows, and the venue itself is so large that it can feel impersonal as it holds about 2,700 people.
Anyway, there was no chance I was going to miss seeing Broken Bells, since the last time I saw them was in 2010. Portugal. The Man and Grouplove were playing the same night in Portland at the Edgefield - one of my favorite venues, but I managed to see them in Seattle, so I could go to both shows!
The opening band Cayucas were pretty good. They have a light, indie beach type sound, kind of similar to Vampire Weekend. They have echo-y vocals, simple drum beats, and staccato guitar. I thought they were pretty good, but definitely felt like an opening band. I wouldn't be surprised if they got popular in a few years once they tighten up a bit.
The stage set up was a futuristic set up that consisted of raised round platforms that the keys and drums were on, some awesome floor lights, and a mirrored half sphere in the direct center of the stage. I realized later on that the half sphere was projector that played different space-y images on a screen behind the setup. Before the band came out the projection showed a live video of the audience on the screen from a camera that was mounted just to the left of the half sphere on the keyboard stand. I tried to get a picture of the audience projection as best as I could, and you can kind of get the idea of what it looked like below.
The opening band Cayucas were pretty good. They have a light, indie beach type sound, kind of similar to Vampire Weekend. They have echo-y vocals, simple drum beats, and staccato guitar. I thought they were pretty good, but definitely felt like an opening band. I wouldn't be surprised if they got popular in a few years once they tighten up a bit.
The stage set up was a futuristic set up that consisted of raised round platforms that the keys and drums were on, some awesome floor lights, and a mirrored half sphere in the direct center of the stage. I realized later on that the half sphere was projector that played different space-y images on a screen behind the setup. Before the band came out the projection showed a live video of the audience on the screen from a camera that was mounted just to the left of the half sphere on the keyboard stand. I tried to get a picture of the audience projection as best as I could, and you can kind of get the idea of what it looked like below.
The band played an excellent mix of old and new songs, and captivated the audience the whole time. All the band members were switching instruments throughout the set, and played every song effortlessly. When they played Angel And The Fool Brian and James stood behind the projector so their shadows were cast based on their proximity to the projector, and the whistling in that song was spot on and beautiful. At one point towards the end of the set, James Mercer said how great it was to be home since he had a new baby at home.
It was a great show, and I'm so happy I was able to see them for a second time. In an interview I heard on NPR with them they mentioned a probable third album, and that they were more of a band than a side project. I'm excited for whatever future albums and shows they do!
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