Date: March 2nd 2006
Although Belle and Sebastian had a spot at the Across The Narrows festival just this past October, New York welcomes the Glaswegians as if they had not been over to these shores for ages.
It is interesting to see that the best received songs tonight are the older ones – ‘I’m A Cuckoo’ ties with ‘Me And The Major’ for loudest cheer. But this is a tour to showcase the newest album, ‘The Life Pursuit’, and ‘Sukie In The Graveyard’ and ‘White Collar Boy’ shine just as brightly live as they stand out on record. Their larger and more up-tempo production works extremely well in a venue with a capacity larger than 500, and having at least eight other people on stage at any given time able to play as many instruments each helps, too. Tracks from their middle period are conspicuously numbered.
Stuart Murdoch charms the crowd with witty banter about his shorts (and the ‘land of the free’, but that’s not nearly as amusing) and he even jumps and shimmies around. It’s so unexpected to find such a lively performance from a band that’s generally known for its mellowness. And though tracks like ‘Fox In The Snow’ and ‘The State I Am In’ are perfect for a sleepy sway-along, ‘Your Cover’s Blown’ lands perfectly in the middle of the set, as Murdoch sails head first in to the audience.
When you’ve got the bloggers in the crowd singing along to every word and generally enjoying themselves, well, you may pat yourself on the back.
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Gallery: Belle and Sebastian – March 2nd 2006
Previously published on Clickmusic.
Tags: belle and sebastian, Live, Review