The Shins: Live! 2007! (In Review!)

Alright, so tell me about The Shins.

Oh, yeah. Okay. Let’s see. Um, the doors to the club opened at 6:00. So we left our place at about 4:45 since it takes around 45 minutes to get up to Capital City—depending on traffic. Well, we went to eat first thing when we got into the city.

Where’d you go?

The Golden Grape. You ever heard of it?

No.

It’s on Third Avenue behind The Fountain Lot. It’s just this little boutique-type café. It was a little pricey but it was delicious.

What’s pricey?

Well, my wife got a quiche for $13 and I got this thing they called a Euro-dilla and it was $14.

What the heck is a Euro-dilla?

It had all these European cheeses and veggies grilled into a spinach tortilla.

Hmm.

Anyway, we got out of there at about 6:45. I’m usually in a big rush to get to a show, you know, but I thought to myself going up there, “This time I’m just going to be cool. Whatever happens, happens.” I didn’t want to stress us out. So we got down to the club shortly after seven. There was still a line down to the corner to get in but I wasn’t sweating it. We just stood in line, got frisked and went in.

Is that place pretty big?

Yeah, it’s bigger than I thought it’d be. When we got in, though, we heard that Viva Voce got stuck in Denver and weren’t going to make it.

Really? That sucks.

Sucks for them. Awesome for us.

Why?

Well, ten minutes after we got into the club—after we found a nice place to stand and all—the lights went dark and The Shins came out. No opening band. No waiting another hour/hour and a half for the show to start. It was great. I just want to get in, see the band I paid for and get out. I mean, the show was over by 9:30. It was perfect. I wish all the shows I went to were like that.

You are such an old man. I've seen some great opening bands.

Me, too. But if they're that great, you'll be able to see them headlining their own tour anyway.

Whatever. You're just old.

Yeah, well. Anyway, the lights went dark and then the first five keyboard notes of “Sleep Lessons” came over the speakers and kept playing on a loop for 60 seconds or so. Then the band came out and picked up the song. The first four songs of the show were the first four songs off Wincing—in order.

Cool. I like that.

Me, too.

How was the crowd?

They were okay. It was a really diverse crowd. The people behind us were at least 45.

Really?

Yeah. There were a lot of older people. By older I mean people our age—30’s.

What else did they play?

Here’s the setlist:

Sleeping Lessons
Australia
Pam Berry
Phantom Limb
Kissing the Lipless
Mine’s Not a High Horse
Girl Inform Me
Girl on the Wing
New Slang
Know Your Onion!
Saint Simon
Girl Sailor
Turn a Square
Gone for Good
A Comet Appears
Turn On Me
Pressed In a Book
Caring is Creepy
**Encore**
Someone I Care About (Modern Lovers' Cover)
One By One All Day
So Says I

What were the stand outs?

You know what? The new songs were really, really great. I mean, they were sharp and energetic and really popped off the stage. They sounded so good. "Phantom Limb" killed. So did "A Comet Appears" although the crowd didn't really get it. They mostly talked through it. The older songs were fairly straightforward. Except for “Girl on the Wing.” They really reworked that one—took that sharp, pulsing keyboard and changed it into a warm, soft arpeggio. It was beautiful. I mean it was really stunning.

How was their stage presence?

It was the best I’ve seen of them. I mean, I’ve only seen them live once but I’ve seen them on television and YouTube and they always pretty much stand stiff on the stage, right?

Yeah.

They were much more relaxed—especially Mercer. He was just in a t-shirt and slacks and he was front and center this time—not off to the side like before. He was laughing and joking and walking around talking to the other guys. And he kept using hand gestures while he sang. It was awesome. He’d point or raise his index finger in emphasis or wave is hand and all sorts of stuff. Usually it’s the other guys that are moving around and joking and stuff. I don’t remember him saying one word to the audience the first time I saw them—it was all Marty Crandall (you would’ve thought he was the lead singer). Mercer was definitely the biggest improvement but they were all great. I mean, compared to bands that go nuts on stage they were still conservative, I guess, but compared to their last show I saw they were a completely different band. They were warm and engaging and dynamic. They made me want to see them again. Last time I left their concert thinking, “Good music. Kind of a dull show.”

How was the new guy?

Cool. He was really quiet but did a lot of good for the show. He even played the slide guitar.

Nice.

Yeah.

I bought a t-shirt.

Really? What are you, fifteen?

Seriously.