Concert Mon Sep 28 2009

Review: Grizzly Bear @ Metro

By Lisa White

Last night the Brooklyn powerhouse known as Grizzly Bear played the first of their two nights of shows at the Metro, captivating a full house of fans with their always lush and mesmerizing music. The band have swiftly been winning over audiences with their hushed yet forceful sound ever since their debut release Yellow House, including a large following in Chicago after playing twice at the Pitchfork Music Festival.

The Metro stage was adorned with mason jars hanging off of beams that looked like telephone wires, as the band sauntered onto the stage and launched into "Southern Point," a song that I believe Thom Yorke might have wished he wrote for Radiohead. It's a multifaceted and layered track, with a heavy bass beat keeping every part tethered to one another. As the song built speed and crashed at a high point, the mason jars above the band flashed brightly, illuminating them in a soft glow, which complimented the always beautiful lighting set-up at the Metro perfectly. The band was off to a strong start, both visually and musically, already more focused and solid than their performance this summer at Pitchfork Festival.

They played the first few notes of "Cheerleader" the first single of their latest album Veckatimest, as the crowd roared in approval. Live, "Cheerleader" has a more murky and muddled sound, the music almost sounding like a stomp as it plods along. This contrasts perfectly with the clear ringing vocals of Ed Droste, making "Cheerleader" an infectious song that glides smoothly along. Droste's vocals throughout are soft and languid, especially on tracks that showcase his simple sound such as "Knife," which I've deemed personally as the sonic equivalent of a warm bath. It relaxes you, is soothing and calming, and all I want to do is close my eyes and just get lost in the moment. Corny as it sounds, it makes sense when you see Grizzly Bear live. Other memorable moments of the set was the haunting "Colorado," which had a beautiful breakdown towards the end, a strong delivery of "I Live With You," which held tension and built before exploding in sound, and a choice ending for the set of "On A Neck On A Spit."

After first being mesmerized by the band a few years ago at Pitchfork Festival, and then let down by a lackluster performance this past July at the festival, it was reassuring to hear the band so dynamic, forceful, and gorgeous as they were last night. Seeing the multiple instrumentation and the careful craftsmanship of their music live truly shows why Grizzly Bear is one of the most innovated, original, and refreshing bands around today.

Grizzly Bear will play their tonight, Monday September 28th, at the Metro. There are still a few tickets left for the show this evening, but if you plan on going grab a ticket now at the Metro site, because I'm sure the show will sell out. Tickets are $25, it is 18 and over, and doors open at 8pm with the show starting at 9pm.