It was 36 degrees with sleet blowing in all directions.
We huddled outside of the House of Blues, my roommate and I, jumping around to keep warm, while we waited to see Yeasayer this past Wednesday. With tickets scanned, winter gear done away with at the coat check, we found ourselves at the front, clutching the metal bars separating the stage from the eager audience. We slowly killed the time in front row, proving our groupie-esque devotion to other die-hard fans next to us. A glittering curtain obscured the stage as the road crew set up for the show in secrecy. As the lights shut off and the curtain dropped to the floor, it became obvious that this would be a night to remember. We took in the laser-beam, multicolored lights, and the sculpture-like mirror installations. We cheered as the hipster crew of Brooklyn-based Yeasayer sauntered onstage to begin their fifteen-song set.
Yeasayer’s show brought the roof down in the most unconventional sense. Surprisingly unknown, even after three albums and appearances at festivals such as Coachella in 2010 and Lollapalooza in both 2008 and 2010, the band attracted a smaller, more intimate crowd of true music lovers who were able to appreciate the band’s experimental sound.
These same fans recognize that no Yeasayer album–or song for that matter–is completely alike. The current touring band consists of founding members Chris Keating, Ira Wolf Tuton, and Anand Wilder, and newly acquired tour drummer, Cale Parks. The band released their third album, Fragrant World, in August of this year. Though dissimilar to their previous sound, their newer tracks were very well received by Wednesday’s audience.
The show acted as somewhat of a scrapbook, showcasing Yeasayer’s diverse styles, opening with avant-garde “Blue Paper”, a trippy, experimental track from Fragrant World. However, the guys were loyal to their original sound throughout. The psychedelic pop infused with heavy drums and reverberating guitar filled the House of Blues, the same sound that was heard mostly on their earlier albums, All Hour Cymbals and Odd Blood. The show fused airy, sitar-laced tunes like “Wait for the Summer” with quirky, well-loved songs like “O.N.E.“and “Ambling Alp“. By weaving in serious, haunting tracks like “Madder Red“, the show maintained a smooth, undulating rhythm, recalling the band’s past and providing a taste of the future. Yeasayer sampled mostly from the newest album, which incorporates bizarre vocals with unexpected synth sounds. The band nonetheless kept the crowd dancing and singing along to songs like “Devil and the Deed“, “Longevity“, and “Henrietta“.
Something truly incredible about Wednesday’s show was that while the band maintained cohesion and consistency in their sound, they still surprised listeners with each unexpected synth flourish and psychedelic guitar riff. Chris Keating and Anand Wilder’s vocals complimented each other perfectly, adding smoothness and quirkiness in all the right places. These vocals, paired with Ira Tuton’s bass skills and Cale Parks’ echoing drums, encouraged the audience to become one with their music.
Yeasayer’s complexity and layered sound makes each listen a new experience – especially in a live setting. No matter what direction Yeasayer heads in next, there will be fans, myself included, willing to follow them down whatever road they choose. In fact, judging by Wednesday’s performance, it’s safe to say the weirder the road, the better.
