Band of Horses come to Sydney

I haven't been to a show in a while... I think the last really good concert I went to was Joe Purdy at Park Tavern's Unplugged in the Park free concert series last summer (check it out if you're in town - it's a great time). Since I've been out of the country I haven't had a lot of time or choices. I found out about Florence and the Machine's show in Sydney in August, but the tickets were sold out for both shows a few months in advance. I still want to see them live, I guarantee it would be worth the ticket price.

I was browsing Facebook and saw that Band of Horses also had a show coming up.  Once again breaking out of my comfort zone, I decided to go although I would be solo.  It's something I would never think of doing back home.  I was surprised there were tickets available, but then again I don't know how popular they are here.  If you've never heard of them, you've still probably heard their music. I catch them on commercials, TV shows and even mixed into rap songs and covers by other artists. BOH songs are very chill for the most part, kind of folky with good lyrics. I have been listening to them since their first (and best) CD came out in 2006 and saw them back in 2007 at Unplugged in the Park - someone I went with wanted to leave the show early that night and I have always regretted not getting to see an entire set. They also come around to Atlanta the past few New Years Eves but I have always had other plans. I jumped at the chance to buy a ticket ($65) this time even though it was a school night.

The venue is called Enmore Theater and the inside reminded me of The Roxy in Atlanta (a really cool theater in Buckhead that has been shut down for the past 2 years for renovations). It's a medium sized place that isn't so small that you're crammed and deaf but not big enough to make it feel like an impersonal show (like when I went to the Kings of Leon concert in Philips Arena last year). I'll definitely have to be more on the ball with concerts here, because the other shows this week are Grizzly Bear and The Ting Tings.

The opening band was called Gentlemen of Fortune - their name was the best part about them and they don't deserve a hotlink even if they have one. People started filling in after that and by 9:30 the place was packed - I would say a few thousand were there. Here's the set list, although I didn't catch a few of the songs. EATT = Everything All the Time (2006); CTB = Cease to Begin (2007); IA = Infinite Arms (2010).

Set List
The Great Salt Lake (EATT)
Is There A Ghost (CTB)
Weed Party (EATT)
NW Apt. (IA)
Islands on the Coast (CTB)
Blue Beard (IA)
Compliments (IA)
The General Specific (CTB)
Older (IA)
Marry Song (CTB)
Detlef Schrempf (CTB)
Factory (IA)
Cigarettes, Wedding Bells (CTB)
Just Fear - (New song... I think I heard the title right?)
Laredo (IA)
Wicked Gil (EATT)
Ode to the LRC (CTB)
The Funeral (EATT)

Encore
No One's Going to Love You (CTB)
Am I A Good Man by Them Two (cover)

There was a giant white sheet in the background that projected images throughout the show. At first I wasn't too keen on it, but after a few songs I thing it added to the experience. Some of the songs fit with the images and other times they were quick flashes of pictures from their tour. Here's a short video clip I took:

One highlight was during one of the songs when someone held up a lighter (cheesy, I know). A bouncer in the front row climbed up on the rail and flashed his light at the guy who obviously did not get it at first. I guess you aren't allowed to light a lighter inside in Sydney? It pretty much took everyone's focus there. BOH's lead singer looked down at the bouncer in a "WTF are you doing?" gesture as he sang and then gave everyone the motion to "bring it on". Everyone that had a lighter whipped one out (see pic at left) and kept it on for the rest of the song.  Everyone cheered really loud after the song and the bouncer didn't try to stop anyone from using lighters from then on.  My favorite songs of the night were The Funeral and No One's Going to Love You - I could've told you that before the show started.  Monsters is up there as well, but they didn't play it.

I'm not entirely won over by the new album after listening to preview on iTunes and seeing a few songs played live, but I think I'll buy it and give it a chance.  Their first album, Everything All the Time, is still their best.  I definitely recommend them to anyone.  I came directly home and wrote this while it is still fresh and I'll try to upload a few videos when I get a chance.