Triple bills can be a good or bad thing – sometimes, you really only care about the headliner. Trudging through two opening sets from bands you don’t care about can be a chore. Luckily, last night’s show at the wonderful Variety Playhouse was the good kind of triple bill – the kind where each band brings plenty to the table. Headlining the show was one of the most consistently great live bands of the past decade, Okkervil River, and before they even started, folks in attendance were treated to a show from our own Best Live Act of 2010: Titus Andronicus. First, though, came Wham City associates Future Islands.

The crowd was small when the Baltimore three-piece began. Frontman Samuel Herring came out and introduced the band and spoke of how excited they were to be part of the tour, and by all accounts seemed like a pretty nice and normal guy. But when the music started, all that changed. He became something else. The minute their dark dance beats filled the room, Herring began slapping himself across the face and pounding his chest while giving crazed stares right into the souls of the audience. The madness didn’t end there – watching and hearing him sing was an experience in itself. Herring sounded like Morrissey performing in a musical about a death metal band. His register and tone changed seamlessly minute by minute. One line he was crooning, the next he was screaming, then after that he would pump into a high register. He sounded like three different people at once – sometimes shifting between all three voices in just a few words. He was by far the most emotive singer I’ve experienced live – but I couldn’t tell if he was about to go insane and murder everyone in the crowd or just break down and cry. It seemed like he was riding a line between the two throughout their 45-minute opening set. As soon as the music would stop between songs, he went right back to the seemingly charming man as he addressed the crowd. But while he was in the act – I was simultaneously deeply creeped out yet endlessly intrigued. Their set was certainly one of the most interesting opening sets I’ve ever seen, for better or worse.

Photo by Max Blau

As I mentioned before, the next band up was our pick for Best Live Act of 2010 – Titus Andronicus. I somehow had not seen them before tonight, so after hearing all the raves about their show, my hopes were high. Some bands don’t bring it quite as hard when they’re an opening band, but Titus must not have gotten that memo. They brought enough energy to fill a few Variety Playhouses. Guitarist Amy Klein started jumping as soon as the band blasted into set opener “A More Perfect Union” and basically didn’t stop until they walked off stage. Frontman Patrick Stickles promised the crowd he and his band would wake them up and get them moving – and he followed through tenfold. Other than a few rows of seats in the back of the house, nearly everyone was on their feet for the set – and the open floor up front was just going crazy. If Future Islands was one of the strangest and most interesting opening acts I’d ever seen, then Titus was one of the most energetic and exciting.

Photo by Max Blau

The main event of the night was, of course, Okkervil River. This show was the first night of their U.S. show, but they didn’t have to shake off any kind of rust. Playing in front of a simplified version of the I Am Very Far cover, the band ran through a set that featured songs from throughout their discography – from “Okkervil River Song” off of their debut, to plenty from their new album. They might not have been as loud as Titus, but they kept the high energy that they started. The response was huge for standouts “Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe” and “For Real” – the latter of which is just one hell of a song live, especially last night. But while the crowd was raucous throughout most of the show, they luckily knew when to shut up, too. During “A Girl From Port”, the crowd kept so quiet you could hear a pin drop between Will Sheff’s hushed lines. Perhaps the most breathtaking moment of the night was when the rest of the band left Sheff out there on his own with just an acoustic as he performed a stunning rendition “A Stone”. The band came back out as they segued into “So Come Back, I Am Waiting” – which made for a powerful one-two punch.

Photo by Max Blau

Most of the new songs sounded fantastic last night, and I could see some of them becoming set centerpieces for a long time to come. “The Valley” and “Wake and Be Fine” especially fit right in along the old classics. The crowd seemed appreciative the whole night even as the set pushed past midnight. By the time they began set closer “Unless It’s Kicks”, Sheff & co. had the whole audience wrapped around their fingers, and they didn’t mind one bit. This is one triple bill that is a must see.
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Gallery by Max Blau

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