A few weeks ago (25th June) I finally got to see Fleet Foxes in Custom House Square, as part of the Open House Festival. I bought my ticket way back probably around February or March time, and I was so very excited! This was enhanced firstly by the release of their second album, Helplessness Blues , and then secondly by the announcement that Villagers and The Low Anthem were to be the support acts. I've seen Villagers once before at the Black Box and they were amazingly good, so I was really happy to think that I'd have the opportunity to see them live again.
After getting off uni for summer, time kind of flew by, and the gig really crept up on me! Laura Marling played the previous night in torrential rain, so I was a little worried about how the weather would hold up, but we had the best of luck and the best of weather - it was a warm, dry day which faded in to a beautiful, clear and mild evening and night. It was perfect!
We, my boyfriend Conor and I, arrived early to pick a good spot. I usually have a bit of a problem at standing gigs since I'm only around 5'3", and no matter where I stand, there's always someone standing in front me who seems to be around 7' approximately (obviously no exaggeration!). We (I) decided to stand a good while back from the stage so I would be able to see everything, hypothetically. Of course after about 15 minutes a guy of around 7'6" came and positioned himself directly in my line of sight, but with some shifting around I got my vantage point back.
The Low Anthem weren't a band that I was very familiar with, though I listened to them a few times to get an idea of what they were like. They put on a very pleasant set, and each of them must have played about 4 different instruments throughout the set, so they were very entertaining to watch in that respect.
Villagers followed, and were on top form as they were the last time, though on this occasion, they played a set that was full of new songs, which were a treat to listen to! It's really got me looking forward to the new album. I would have liked to hear a few more of the older songs mixed in, though all in all, it was a super performance!
And then, the moment we'd been waiting for! Fleet Foxes took to the stage to a roar of excitement and support from the crowd and set into a truly perfect set! They served up a diverse mix of their old and their new songs.The atmosphere was magical, with the evening having faded to night and Custom House itself beint the only real light asides from the stage itself. Standing further back from the stage had another advantage as the night progressed! The majority of people around us were swaying and dancing, so we followed suit, waltzing to Lorelai, one of my favourites off the new album:
Fleet foxes were perfect, it really was a beautiful night, and I know I'll not be forgetting it too quickly.
Another wordy post! Tomorrow, I'll be posting something a little lighter in the form of some photos of the making of a delicious lemon loaf!
love, Jessica
Fleet Foxes are not the type of band that will initially blow you away. Rather, their music has to be chipped away layer by layer before you feel like you have a grasp on it, which is a great thing for an album's longevity. From that standpoint, their music takes effort to enjoy. It has depth and cannot be taken at face value. While "Helplessness Blues" doesn't initially stand out as a classic album I think it has the potential to grow into an album that will stand the test of time and ultimately end up on a lot of "Best of 2011" lists.
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