Iron&Wine

Not only did I end up sitting next to the House manager of the Pabst and the concert reviewer for the Shepherd Express, but BOTH Iron & Wine and the Head and the Heart brought their A-game to the Turner tuesday. I saw Iron & Wine a few months ago at the Pabst for an acoustic show and it blew my mind...but seeing them in full band mode with a horns section, light show, and a packed, standing audience was something else entirely.

To start this off, I have to say i was very impressed by the opener, "The Head and The Heart." A very melodic, fleet-foxes type band, but they added this intense drumming and baseline that really drove the music. I've been listening to the album version, which are still good, but the live songs had so much power and emotion behind them, I almost forgot what band I was still waiting to see. Despite the folky-laidback style of the music, they really drove a great energy throughout the set and, despite being unknown to me, really set a big challenge for Iron and Wine.

With that said now, Iron and Wine DESTROYED the set. It was fantastic. The new album is much more produced and experimental than a lot of the music they have done and are known for, distancing quite a bit of fans during the process, but it makes for an amazing full-band set. Not only did they integrate multiple guitars, drums, horns, backup vocals and some strings into the show, but every song had some kind of new twist to it. Taking acoustic solo songs and melding them into driving ballads, funk songs, and jam band-esque anthems, each song from across the spectrum of Iron & Wine's discography took a new, energetic life. Most surprising perhaps, was the flawless transitions between songs with completely different sounds. On the edge of a beat switching from a beautiful lullaby to base-heavy funk jam with sax just caught me completely off guard and leaves me wishing for a recording of some of these fantastic versions of my favorite songs.

The review from the Journal Sentinel points out that many of the songs were so different that it seemed like he lost the crowd a bit on certain songs. But with a standing room crowd who's been pumped and energized, I'd find it difficult to find any band that slows it down for certain songs without losing some people to the bars and cell phones. I understand the criticism and the questioning of the very different and very "experimental" set, almost delving into abstract jazz in some parts, but I also completely love the ability for bands, especially one with such a specific and unique sound, to recognize the opportunity and actually realize the potential of all the things their songs can be. Not all the new versions beat the originals, but for someone who's listened to all of these songs multiple times....many multiples of times...It amazes me at what the artists can hear in their own music that hasn't yet been brought out. I can see why some people wouldn't have liked the new renditions, but to criticize the attempt, I think, undermines the entire reason you go see a live show. It's something new...if it isn't, you might as well listen to headphones. Funny thing is, in a different review, they said the Taylor Swift show was a bit to staged and rehearsed...Who would think people would be critical of the pop star of being too formulaic and the alternative band being too experimental? isn't that the idea? Anyway, I understand the Journals point of view, but I respectfully disagree. Perhaps the crowd got a bit side-tracked or confused by the big differences, but that's the fault of us PBR drinking, tight pants wearin, pot-smokin youngins that can't keep our  Iphones down...I applaud Iron & Wine for the very interesting and, in my opinion, AWESOME versions of some great songs and hope to see an equally great show next time the come through.

So even if you've seen them recently, I would suggest buyin tickets to the next show you can get to. Even to a fan who listens to them constantly, saw them in the last few months, and knows every lyric to almost every song, this show was one of my favorites of all time (sitting just behind Jonsi and Sigur Ros) and something completely new to my idea of Iron & Wine... It was an awesome show, awesome opener, awesome seats, and way too much awesome beer.