As the lights went down, an intro piece that played over the PA inquired if the near-capacity crowd would like to make love. Clapping and cheering as Chris Keating, Ira Wolf Tuton, Anand Wilder, and Jason Trammell took the stage, the crowd replied with a resounding ‘yes.'
Launching into four songs without a break, Yeasayer [12] fulfilled the early promise of getting the crowd to bounce, sing, and sway with the music. The positive buzz around their previous album, and the anticipation of their upcoming release was immediately proven to be well earned.
A dazzling light display, comparable to few bands other than Interpol, perfectly complimented the rhythm of the music. Aside from the coordinated visuals, Yeasayer's music spoke for itself. Despite a small stage presence, the ever-changing light show and contageous power of each song kept the crowd consistently captivated.
While at the microphone, Keating creakily moved his body to each melody, only to turn around at random to add additional percussion with an explosive energy. There was no doubt that Yeasayer was putting as much energy into their music as the crowd was giving back, despite the lack of stage banter.
The set was well constructed with a mix of songs from the previous albums All Hour Cymbals and Odd Blood. When Yeasayer got to their most well known songs, including “O.N.E” and “Ambling Amp," the crowd erupted with delight and there were few people who were not in motion.
Songs from the upcoming album, Fragrant World, sounded fantastic live. The catchy hooks, solid harmonies, powerful groove and sing along chorus of “Reagan’s Skeleton” went over especially well with the crowd.
Equally as tight-lipped, producer/DJ Deadelus [13] warmed up the crowd at the start of the night. Decked out in a light blue morning dress, he bobbed on the stage, crafting smooth beats and impressive loops, with musical flourishes that didn’t let up for over 40 minutes. The then small crowd was enthralled with his set, sending up cheers and shouts while they danced.
A solid performer in his own right, Deadelus was a welcomed surprise, and a good way to prepare for a massive night of dancing and singing with Yeasayer. Walking out into air as hot and humid as it was inside, the sweaty crowd left more than satisfied.
Yeasayer’s third full length release, Fragrant World is due out Aug. 20 from Secretly Canadian [14].
