The Fratellis made a triumphant return to the Wonder Ballroom for the second time ever, with new album, Eyes Wide Tongue Tied, in tow. Eyes Wide is the band's fourth studio album to date, and they wrapped up their second headlining American tour in LA on October 8th, with only a slight break until embarking on a massive 28 date tour across Europe with a stop in Japan.
If you didn't know who The Fratellis were (band name taken from the criminal family from The Goonies), you'd still probably know a few of their tunes. Their first album, Costello Music, is home to many hits including the show opener, Henrietta, as well as Baby Fratelli, Chelsea Dagger, and probably the most recognizable from the 2007 iPod commercial: Flathead
Unlike a good number of bands whose singles aren't very representative of the band's full sound, Flathead is a perfect example of the opposite. Every damn tune and album from The Fratellis is equally as catchy, with an equal amount of danceable and lively tunes, and slower, campfire style ballads.
The three piece band consists of Jon Fratelli (Jon Lawler) - lead vocals and guitar, Barry Fratelli (Barry Wallace) - bass guitar and backing vocals, and Mince Fratelli (Gordon McRory) - drums and backing vocals (none of them are actually brothers by the way), and a fourth touring member, Will Foster - keys.
The band played a lengthy setlist consisting of a collection of songs from their full catalog, including a cover of Dion's Runaround Sue to finish out the set. "This is probably the first song of ours many of you heard," Said Jon over the jazzy drum beat Mince was playing before strumming the immediately recognizable guitar riff for Flathead, and rocking the ballroom from top to bottom. Other crowd favorites were across the board, all songs eliciting cheers from the relatively diverse (for Portland anyway...) audience.
The boys often shared glances and smiles throughout the show, as if to say "I can't believe we still get to do this after all this time". They have such a great stage presence and play their music with a passion and joy that is often lacking from live shows. For a band that has been around as long as The Fratellis have, they could have easily become jaded by the touring life and playing the same songs constantly because those are the ones the fans know and not necessarily the ones they want to play themselves, but The Fratellis deliver in a big way; playing each song as if it was the first time performing it in front of an audience, and finding new ways to shake them up.
The new material was very well received and exciting to hear live. Album opener Me And The Devil shook up the crowd with its funky beats and sing-along lyrics of "I'm gonna sell this soul of mine/I'm gonna loose my lonely mind for you". Baby Don't You Lie To Me was the second song of the set, propelling the set into an energetic rock-fest. During the song Dogtown the lighting person did the reverse strobe effect (plunging the ballroom into darkness for split second intervals along with the beat of the music), to which Jon and Barry shared confused smiles, and prompted Jon to say something along the lines of "when you do that with the lights we can't see a thing. I'm sure it looked amazing and funky as hell though" at the end of the song.
Other highlights included Jon accidentally changing up the setlist and explaining how "there's always one major fuck up during the night. I guess this time it was me,", and then proceeding to keep messing up the setlist to which he shook his head and lamented "twice in one night". Witnessing the main roadie giving a drumstick and a guitar pick to these two young children who had come up to the stage with their parents after the show. And seeing all the band members groove to their funky jams in their own way and feeding off their energy as an audience member.
If I had to use one word to describe The Fratellis and their performance, it would be: Genuine. Seeing the pure joy and exhilaration they get from playing live, their continued enthusiasm, and how humble they are ("Without you [the audience], we don't get to play; we're just a bunch of guys in a room, so thank you" said Jon), is really wonderful for an audience member and a fan. They deliver every time at every show, and everyone walked away that night knowing they had witnessed something special.
[Barry Fratelli]
[Left to right: Jon Fratelli and Will Foster]
[Left to right: Jon Fratelli, Will Foster, and Mince Fratelli]
[Jon Fratelli and Will Foster]
[Me with the setlist courtesy of Cortney Armitage]
[Jon Fratelli and myself, courtesy of Cortney Armitage]
