Andrew Bird Live in Review

Ever play a CD for the first time, and it becomes an instant classic? Case in point—Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs. Thanks to my little brother, last night I had the opportunity to see Andrew Bird play a sold-out show at the TLA, South Street, Philly.

Street side parking is very tight for a Friday night. I squeezed my VW Gulf into a spot along Front Street, and managed to avoid a parking ticket despite having parked three hours in a two-hour parking zone. Sometimes you have to wage the odds, especially when circling the block with 15 minutes until show time.

With only minutes to spare, I dated down the back alleys and side streets of Queens Village, arriving at the venue with only minutes to spare. My brother was waiting at the door with ticket in hand. We were good to go!

What a great venue. Back in the day, the TLA was a concrete box with a small stage at the far end. What a change! The “new” venue had all the renovation of a While You Were Out episode. The walls were finished with a crimson-colored velour was hung; faux crystal chandeliers topped the room off. It had all the charm of a vintage, thrift-store rendition of Radio City Music Hall—charming.

And then there was the live music...

The violin produces one of the most shrill, piercing tones in all the musical families. It is a deadly weapon in the hands of an amateur—producing sonic waves that can cut through the eardrum like a power saw. Elsewhere it is the bland backdrop that wallpapers contemporary music. We’ve all heard midi-emulated, orchestral arrangements added post-production. Lifeless.

It takes either a virtuoso or a madman to make the violin sing.

Andrew Bird was a little of both... He could play the violin like a banshee, wailing over a loved one, long since passed. I was simply blown away by his musical ability-- whether singing, whistling, or playing the violin, guitar, or glockenspiel. Bird has an amazing knack for playing legato, or with a great amount of fluidity. He would contrast legato segments with quirky, off-rhythm or off-key phrasing.

Quirky is a good word to describe the experience.

As a solo artist he used two DL4's, a looping device that records a musical phrase, then plays back that passage to infinity. This allows the solo artist to lay a drum track, and then overdub a chord progression or harmony. playing/singing the melody on top of it all. Not only does the musician have to focus on melody-making, but (s)he also has to manipulate the looping devices. The end result? A full-band sound with only one or two band members.

For example, Bird might pluck out a staccato bass line, using an octave divider to make the violin sound like an upright bass. Next, a shallow layer of harmony is produced by strumming or bowing the chord changes, and then another layer of electric guitar. Bird creates the melody by alternating singing, whistling, and playing the violin. Like a quick draw in a spaghetti western, he slings from violin to guitar and back with accuracy and agility. In the end, you have to see the act for yourself.

The show far exceeded my every expectation.

Tags: Andrew Bird, live, music, concert, TLA, South Street, Philadelphia, Philly, PA