Everything In Between: The Decemberists

By Maureen

Beacon Theatre, New York NY
January 25, 2011

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I have to steal a quote I overheard from a fellow fan at the merchandise table: “I’ve seen them many times, and every time it’s like, totally different.” The Decemberists played a three-show block at the historic Beacon Theatre this January. I attended the “middle” show, which was originally the only show, as the other days were added to accommodate incredible ticket demand. This is my third experience with seeing the band live, throughout more than five years of being a fan. This current “Popes of Pendarvia” Tour follows the release of their newest album The King is Dead.

The Decemberists’ level of energy was high, considering it was a frigid Tuesday night in New York. Having only had the new album for about five days prior to the concert, I was not as familiar with it, having just chosen some early favorites (early single “Down By the Water” and bouncy-catchy “Rox in the Box”) based on their incredibly catchy lyrics and prevalence in leaked pre-album media. Happily both of these songs were performed.

I wasn’t sure which songs they would play; the band’s previous “Short Fazed Hovel” tour revolved around concept album The Hazards of Love, which was performed uninterrupted in its entirety before a second set of various other songs. This time around, I was enjoying the guessing-game style suspense of trying to figure out whether the next song would be obscure, an old favorite, or a new release. The band had also posted the set list from the previous night’s show on their Facebook page, so I was half-expecting a replica. I was very wrong.

Photo © Premshree Pillai

I was at first a little disappointed that some of the songs posted on the previous set list weren’t making an appearance, until the band came out for an encore and began “The Mariner’s Revenge Song.” This nine-minute epic tells the tale of a young boy who witnessed his widowed mother take a younger sailor as a lover who then leaves her disease-ridden and depressed when he returns to his wanton ways. The boy grows up and pursues his mother’s dying wishes to “find him, find him/tie him to a pole and break his fingers/to splinters,” after following the man at sea for 20 months. They are both attacked by a whale and have their final duel from inside the whale while still alive.

It’s a lot, I know. But trust me that the audience was loving every minute of it, which just cements how fervent Decemberists fans are, that we cheer for revenge and death at sea. This was my favorite moment of the night because of its sheer, epic nature. I have heard that the band rarely perform it live, and I felt like the luckiest girl in the world to be witnessing it, mustering every ounce of energy remaining after working all day and trekking across town in the cold to attend a concert by myself, screaming like I was being swallowed alive along with my fellow fans.

At the end of the night I found myself thinking over the quote at the beginning of this article and realizing how right that guy was. I will continue to see The Decemberists live at any and every opportunity because it’s always a wonderful, unexpected smorgasbord of old, new, random, epic, and everything in between.

Most of the Decemberists’ shows for the “Popes of Pendarvia” tour are already sold out, so please check their website for the latest updates.