 Belle and Sebastian |
 Belle and Sebastian |
Story and photos by Matt Schwenke
Not part of their originally announced tour, Scotland-based Belle and Sebastian's stop at Milwaukee's Riverside Theatre was added to the schedule only after selling-out neighboring markets Chicago and Minneapolis. Add the recent success of the Vancouver-based The New Pornographers as the opening act (who are Neko Case-less on tour) and the excitement spilled over into a nearly full Riverside abuzz with anticipation.Stepping to the stage with a quirky confidence, The New Pornographers belted out their high-energy hooks and light-hearted pop getting the crowd moving early. The toe-tapping "Sing Me Spanish Techno" off the recent release Twin Cinema was evidence of their sugary, pop appeal, but "The Bones Of An Idol," off of the same album, revealed an equally interesting side, but noticeably less care-free tone, still wrapped in a chewy, pop package. While front man A.C. Newman's versatile voice was well-matched with the blissful harmonies of Kathryn Calder, the combination of up- and down, but not all that down-tempered pop kept an edge just sharp enough to pierce even the most calloused of listeners.
With earlier material such as the raw, guitar-driven "Slow Descent Into Alcoholism" mixed amongst their distinct shades of tunes from Twin Cinema, The New Pornographers' set hinted at a successful headlining show, but left the crowd wanting more with their opening performance.
As the New Pornographer's had built a wave into a large swell, the now amped-up crowd would have to wait what seemed like an eternity until Belle and Sebastian took the stage, and, in the end, the wave proved too heavy and crashed too soon. At their most exciting, Belle and Sebastian were ultra-funky with 80's dance beats, a la the something of pop's Thriller, infused with the rock attitude of the Stones, a la Aftermath, as in the single "Your Cover's Blown." Front man Stuart Murdoch played master of ceremonies and was especially entertaining in these numbers pulling on his experience as a DJ during the 80's in Glasgow. In more straight-forward pop/rock tunes like the ripping guitar of Stevie Jackson in "We Are The Sleepy Heads" or the dynamically arranged singing and piano of Murdoch in "The Fox In The Snow," Belle and Sebastian were uplifting with the equally beautiful voice and violin of Sarah Martin expanding Murdoch's sound. But expand further they would not, and the airy pop soundscapes of "She's Losing It" and "Jonathan David" quickly turned to cavity-producing pop that washed most in the upper balcony with malaise-- taking in the cheeky pop drivel while sunk back into their seats. While the poetic talent of Murdoch's lyrics and the well-versed musical talents of Belle and Sebastian as a whole must be noted, many of the songs promised an edge that never came and were instead an annoying prodding by a dull spoon.
Belle and Sebastian
The New Pornographers
Belle and Sebastian
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