The Decemberists at The Chicago Theatre
The Decemberists’ 2011 album, The King is Dead, was incredibly impactful for me. My dad brought it home, and it was a staple in his car. It feels encapsulated within amber in my memory, and it takes me back to when I was truly falling in love with music. The band recently stopped at the Chicago Theatre on their ARISE FROM THE BUNKERS! TOUR, and I felt incredibly lucky to be in attendance.
Upon showtime, the lights went dark as some off-kilter, carnival-type music played and the band made their entrance. This appropriately quirky entrance was embraced as the audience sprung to their feet, jumping and pumping their fists in the air with fervor. One would have thought that Aerosmith had just taken the stage!
The Decemberists looked like a hodge-podge group of teachers that all started jamming after school one day and ended up hitting it off. They’re the epitome of 2000s/2010s Pacific-Northwest hipsters. Thus, they are an acquired taste; their songs have esoteric references, and all of their music feels directly pulled from a vintage shop.
Their setlist changed each night of this tour - for the stop, they launched into “Sucker’s Prayer”. Lead singer Colin Meloy’s unique voice resonated instantly, and band member, Jenny Conlee, busted out her accordion as the crowd roared. I felt a deep sense of belonging. Over the show, they spanned over the entire course of their discography from very early b-sides, classics, and even a new song, “William Fitzwilliam”.
The band’s live instrumentation amazed me; each of the six members played at least two different instruments over the course of the night - some even more! They were constantly shedding and shifting one instrument to another very seamlessly. Their set featured organs, harpsichords, a stand-up bass, a banjo, and a harmonica, to name a few. This approach added a sense of fluidity to their set, and a few songs felt as though verging into jam-band territory. The band seemed so immersed into each moment, expanding on their songs very organically - it was really exciting to watch.
Meloy spoke to the crowd to thank everyone for coming, while making referencing reference to COVID and touring. An audience member shouted something along the lines of “Get vaccinated!”, and Meloy retorted that this wasn’t really the crowd that needed to be addressed. There was laughter and he added, “Let’s hear it for social-emotional learning and flouride in the city water!”, which was followed by applause. This exchange felt unique to a Decemberists concert.
During their song, “16 Military Wives”, the la-di-da portion of the song and when it’s performed live, it’s turned into a call-and-response, and, man, was it LOUD. The band members seemed surprised by its force. The audience participation throughout the show was unmatched.
The Decemberists left me very impressed. As the show came to an end, I was hoping that there would be some announcement of a new album or at least a hint to when we could expect it, but not yet... So, in the meantime, I will leave you with the recommendation of their album, The King is Dead. Even if they aren’t your jam, you will definitely walk away learning a few new words to add to your vocabulary.