Yeasayer + Smith Westerns + Hush Hush – Wonder Ballroom (Portland, OR; May 27, 2011)

Picture this: you walk into the Wonder Ballroom and encounter a pale skinny guy with a bushy orange beard. This is nothing out of the ordinary for Portland. However, he’s wearing a regal red velvet cape with Hush Hush embroidered on the back in glittery gold, and his current song is imploring the listener to “put it in the out door.” Intrigued and just a little embarrassed, you move closer. The stage, where Hush Hush is currently stomping around as he delivers his rhymes, is covered in potted faux cacti of all shapes and sizes. You pause and think, “well, this is certainly the most interesting thing I’ve seen in a while.” Such is my all-too-brief experience with Hush Hush. Pity it’s the tail-end of his set and only two songs remain. Still, the overwhelming spectacle of his performance is refreshing and exciting, and it’s a shame he landed in the first opener spot. The last song, “Supernatural,” is not quite as blush-inducing as the one that greeted me, but the guy certainly has spirit and stage presence in equal measure. I hope he’ll be back in Portland soon; I need more glamorous perversion in my life.

With lo-fi sound and a slight undertone of the surf rock trend that’s been going around, Smith Westerns are up next. Unfortunately, their vocalist is singing into his shirt and I can’t understand a word. He seems to care more about foxily flipping his long black hair than performing, and makes no effort to ensure we can hear him. This band has been enjoying quite a bit of hype lately, with a glowing review of their new album and a Best New Music nod from Pitchfork, but none of that is evident here. Vocals remain practically inaudible for the duration, with only a syllable or two peeking through. Songs flow together without pauses or lyrical changes to differentiate them. With somber looks on their faces, the members dutifully perform, though they don’t interact with the audience at all. The sound from the three (yes, three) rhythm guitars is overly simple, and though the band plays well together, they just aren’t interesting. Crowd members aren’t responding to Smith Westerns’ performance, and the band slinks backstage immediately following their final song. Conclusion: blah, humbug.

Remember the cacti? They’re still on the stage. It seems they belong to Yeasayer. Adding to the curious décor are tube-shaped lights that flash at slow intervals, as well as a tattered eyeball-print sheet hanging from the keyboard stand. As the first song begins, the vocals are still woefully low despite lead singer Chris Keating holding the L-shaped microphone directly to his lips. Heavy strobes begin flashing from all corners of the stage, making it difficult to look directly at the band. The vocals improve a bit for “Tightrope,” but remain far too low as the night progresses. For that matter, the instruments are also quieter than they should be. This volume issue is partially due to the Wonder"s poor sound engineering, but the band can also be blamed for failing to respond to the problem.

As the performance progresses, there is no discernible reasoning to the set list. The band is playing what they want to play, with minimal consideration for the audience. Peppering the set are several new songs, including “Devil and the Deed” from last week’s Conan appearance. They also play favorites from Odd Blood, like “O.N.E.” and “Mondegreen.” The latter has significantly less pep than its album version, which is disappointing. I’d expected to get an aerobics session with this song, but it doesn’t happen. Visually-assaulting strobes are in full effect, as is the giant LED backdrop behind the band. Though the members are reserved in their movements, the ever-changing light show that accompanies them is a sight to behold. For all the flash and spot-on instrumentation, this performance is rather subdued. It seems less like a dedicated show and more like a dress rehearsal for their forthcoming Sasquatch appearance. Whatever the reason, they are conserving their energy.

The mood picks up a bit with “Wait for the Summer” and “Madder Red,” but never lives up to my expectations for a rollicking good time. Though I’m surprised they held out this long, crowd favorite “Ambling Alp” closes the set. It’s a sing-along, of course, and eager audience members threaten to drown out the band as they join in on the chorus. Many people leave after this song, only to clamor back into the room as the encore begins. Have you never done this before? The first encore song is a new one that isn’t compelling, and the light display is more interesting than their performance of “2080,” which ends the night. I’d gone into this show with high hopes, having heard of Yeasayer’s legendary performances, and left with an overwhelming sense of mediocrity. Before anyone attacks me, I know Yeasayer can be a phenomenal live band. Tonight, however, they definitely settled for less than their potential. 

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