So I went to Yeasayer last night with few expectations. It’s funny - Yeasayer is a band that I know I like, but before last night I couldn’t have named any of their songs. What I knew about them prior to last night is that I heard lots of buzz about them from our DJs when their last album came out and they seem to collaborate with people I love (i.e. their Florence + The Machine remix on Lungs - listen below). All my favorite music people were making promises yesterday that it would be a great show - so I went knowing it would be good but with little explanation as to why they felt so assured.
Dog Days Are Over (Yeasayer Remix) - Florence and the Machine by Mar-Y
Before I say any more about Yeasayer, I HAVE TO talk about one of the opening acts Hush Hush. I tweeted after the show that I’ve never felt so fascinated and violated at the same time. I think that’s how I continue to feel as I look at his bandcamp page. Hush Hush has Sleigh Bells style heavy distortion and down beats going for him except this time he’s singing about things like, “drinking from my pussy cup.” That’s right. I kept turning to my friend saying, “He’s really saying what I think he’s saying.” His whole set had a SNL skit feel to it which, I think, is why he got away with everything without offending anybody - he played an applause track at the end of each song saying, “Oh wow! Thank you guys so much - it’s too much.” I’m not going to lie - I loved every second of it. There were lots of things said about this guy last night - that he was from Germany, that the members of Yeasayer found him homeless, that he’s a pervert - I can only qualify the last one. Who knows where Hush Hush is from but all I can say is wow...
WARNING - I’m cognizant of the fact that some of you may sometimes be in the presence of little innocent ears...I wouldn’t listen to the below until they’ve gone to bed and will never have to be corrupted by the insanity of Hush Hush.
Then Yeasayer took the stage and it was on and cracking for over an hour and a half. I had my first Coachella experience this past April and being at the Music Box last night was the closest I’ve felt to being totally enveloped by music since being in the tent for Leftfield and Cut Copy. With a crazy light show and bass you could feel in the floors and on your chest, music was suddenly living on my skin and in my eyes.
I’ve seen shows like this before and have been sadly disappointed. Sometimes, being a band like this, with a sound that appeals to all of your senses and makes your body move means that the urge is there to perform directly to your often heavily altered fans. While I totally enjoy this as part of the experience of going to see somebody like Animal Collective, there have been times that I’ve felt a bit left out - like I couldn’t enjoy it because I wasn’t quite altered enough.
Yeasayer did an excellent job living in all worlds. There was plenty there to find trippy - in sight, in sound, in feel - and instead of needing to be on drugs to enjoy it, being at the concert made me feel utterly high. I was dancing in ways that, in retrospect, I’m glad nobody was taping. I was screaming along with “Ambling Alp.” And at times I just sat there with my mouth open, soaking in the experience - feeing tingly through to the ends of my hair.
I can’t say it enough friends, go see Yeasayer. They’re currently touring and have dates lined up everywhere from San Fran to Houston to DC (that’s right I’m talking to you, my AU Alum Friends) to New York. Check out their myspace page for a full list of dates.
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