A note about the drunken Decemberists show

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A reader and former college colleague, Derek Belt, dropped me this note earlier today:

Sounds like Colin Meloy was hugging more than his guitar at the Moore last night. Photo by Steven Friederich

"... (I)was wondering if you were going to do anything or have heard anything about the Decemberists concert last night at the Moore? I think they're playing there tonight as well, but a buddy and I went to the show last night and came away with mixed feelings. I'm a huge fan and for the most part thought the show was really good. They sounded great and had a lot of fun interaction with the crowd. But the lead singer was hammered and got a little crazy before the end of the set. When he was playing his guitar he was fine, but whenever there was a break in the action he would start to sway this way and that. It was entertaining to say the least and didn't affect his sound at all...a la Eddie Vedder.

Nope, it was the encore we had an issue with.

Duder played solo for two songs: "I Was Meant for the Stage," which was awesome, and then a cover of Joni Mitchell's "A Case of You," which was equally as awesome and kind of fitting considering how smashed he was at the time. When the rest of the band came out, however, they just started wailing away on each other's instruments. For like 15 minutes. Seriously. It was awful. No music. No real direction. They literally just swapped each other's instruments and made a bunch of garage-band static...like the Wyld Stallyns of "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" fame. Crazy stuff, and not what you want to leave your audience with after an otherwise rockin' show."

Unfortunately I was unable to make it to the Decemberists show (funny how two mountain passes being closed can limit one's ability to attend shows in Seattle), but it sounds like Colin Meloy had one too many and ruined what was otherwise a good show. That's too bad because I envision a drunken Colin Meloy as being a great, jovial storyteller. Apparently that's not the case, or that wasn't the case Wednesday night.

Thanks for the note Derek.

Posted by at January 31, 2008 8:56 p.m.
Categories: In the clubs, News and notes

Comments

#93397

Posted by the real left coast at 2/1/08 11:32 a.m.

Derek,

I am really sick of the complaining in Seattle, and I find this hard to believe. They are a bit goofy, and I really think you just didn't appreciate. I really like bands that will go out on a limb at a live show, and I think that's the whole point of a live show.
They were great on Thursday. No one was drunk or unprofessional (but me). If there were an anthem for the NW, they would write it. It's their show, take it or leave it. It's not all about you, they are supposed to be having fun. Quit your stupid passive-agressive crap Seattle. The rest of the world doesn't care.

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#93551

Posted by Chart Toppin' Man at 2/1/08 4:02 p.m.

Dude, have another drink.

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#93582

Posted by unregistered user at 2/1/08 5:11 p.m.

No, I was there on Wednesday and Meloy really was quite drunk. He kept his bottle of liquor close at hand on top of an amp. Although with a classic Decemberists touch of class he was drinking red wine from a wine glass.

That said I loved the concert.

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#94807

Posted by D.J. McLeod at 2/5/08 9:32 a.m.

OH my GOD!!! A drunk MUSICIAN?
Who ever heard of such a thing.

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#94943

Posted by BoatGuy at 2/5/08 3:37 p.m.

Jeebuz Derek, some of you young 'uns make us old fuddy-duddys feel positively rambunctious by comparison.

Personally, and as probably one of the oldest attendees Wednesday night (by my own completely unscientific reckoning), I thought the end of the encore was, raucus - in a good way - it had that same sort of barely contained explosion of energy one gets in the presence of some truly free-wheeling improvisational jazz: raw, unmoderated, dissonance that is more about energy and emotion than it is about "following the rules" or "doing what's expected"; it was, in short, pure, loud, rebellion.

Which, in this old-timer's book made it the perfect coda to an otherwise memorable evening of polished, and technically disciplined pop.

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#121663

Posted by unregistered user at 4/25/08 5:36 a.m.

google.com
Who ever heard of such a thing

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