Pictures by Taylor Wallace! Review By Justin Lyons!
Yeasayer’s five year progression from experimental rock musicians to R&B and electronic-based pop experts has been a welcome transformation.The Brooklyn four-piece’s most recent album Fragrant World expounds upon Odd Blood’s synthtronica leanings with late a ‘90’s urban influence that would make Pharrell and Timbaland proud. After three albums and extensive touring, the eclectic band’s stage presence and diverse sound was on full display at Tabernacle on Sunday night.
Fans had heightened expectations due to the postponement of Yeasayer’s previous Atlanta stop and easily filled the main floor after opening act Sinkane. The fellow Brooklyn rockers kicked off the night and made an instant impression on early attendees with the sort of psychedelic pop that jump-started Yeasayer’s career. Progressive guitar, keys and vocoder-based tracks, including blog favorite “Running”, had many nodding in approval.
The majority of Yeasayer’s dance ready set leaned on Fragrant World, but the band worked old favorites like “O.N.E.” into enhanced numbers with numerous synthesizers and sample machines. The stage was flanked by mirrored pentagons that acted as reflective surfaces and apt backdrop for the expansive light show. The shared lead vocal duties by Chris Keating and Anand Wilder were used to perfection highlighting each other’s vocal strengths. Wilder’s traditional vocals were best suited on new cut “Don’t Come Close” which transitioned perfectly into an anthemic rendition of “Madder Red”. Keating bounced around the stage with vigor and displayed his unique stage presence on the LCD Soundsystem-styled thump of “Demon Road” and jubilant set closer “Ambling Amp”.
Fans that attended Yeasayer’s last Atlanta show at Masquerade could probably guess the final songs of the night. Sunday evening proved the band’s growth and expanding number of tracks offered a few surprises. This encore continued with new upbeat cuts like “Fingers Never Bleed” and the addictive “Devil and the Deed” before Keating preached on “Tightrope” and finished with the guitar heavy burner “Folk Hero Schtick”. Whatever musical path Yeasayer takes next should surprise fans and only strengthen their next live performances.
Set List
Blue Paper
Henrietta
2080
Longevity
O.N.E.
Don’t Come Close
Madder Red
Demon Road
Wait For Summer
Reagan’s Skeleton
Ambling Amp
Encore
Fingers Never Bleed
Devil and the Deed
Tightrope
Folk Hero Schtick
