On his first, and possibly last(?), solo tour, Fleet Foxes lead singer Robin Pecknold illuminated the Bowery Ballroom with a stunning performance of intimate magic and pure wonder.
Surrounded by a ring of acoustic guitars, Robin Pecknold entered Bowery Ballroom, took a seat center stage and immediately rejoiced in the warm welcome as he proceeded to light up with joy and clear enthusiasm as he treated the sold-out crowd to an array of hits from his band's illustrious catalogue and some thrilling covers as well. From the jump, Pecknold's grin was beaming and the excitement in his voice was clear as was the gratitude he expressed towards the audience for allowing him to play some of the songs that never found their way into the sets of his main band. "I Should See Memphis" was a delicate opener that set the tone for the night ahead, Robin sitting firmly in place as minimal overhead light provided a stark contrast to the black background, stripping away any distractions and letting the simplistic performance take hold of the night. Each song was captivating and the blend of elation and focus on Pecknold's face was paramount and he delivered knockout after knockout, occasionally changing up a classic with a slightly new arrangement that better suited his solo acoustic performance and gave us all a new memory to attach to these already sentimental tracks. He talked about his recent gig as rhythm guitarist at the Joni Jam last month, how he prepared for six months and learned as many Joni deep cuts as he could before sharing his rendition of "Amelia" from Heijira, it instantly brought me to tears. One of many covers he'd drop throughout the evening, one of the many talents Pecknold had on display this evening was he knack for writing and understanding complex, yet arresting melodies and rhythms that challenge and comfort a listener all at the same time. Digging deep into the troves of Fleet Foxes early days, he dusted off tunes like "Isles" and "Silver Dagger" which the crowd responded to with cheers of passion that at times seemed to catch Robin off-guard as he seemed surprised for the deep love while showing us his own through moments of real vulnerability. Not once throughout the night did Pecknold's voice break and its astounding condition only added to the magic on display, his range utterly phenomenal and his drive felt laser sharp. Early career standout "Mykonos" was perhaps the crown jewel of the evening and the crowd joining in to sing the chorus in the round was rather divine. For over fifteen years, Fleet Foxes have risen to the top of their league as one of the defining bands of their sound and era, leaders of the indie folk wave lead by one of the most prominent songwriters of his time. Yet Pecknold's rarely shied away from his pack, so to see him in such a setting felt remarkably special, like a rare glimpse into a rare, cosmic wonder. Nestled into the comforts of one of the city's best venues, the close confines of Bowery Ballroom helped embrace the magnetism of the performance onstage as the room's legendary history served as a stupendous host for something so radiant. Sending us off with one last cover, he told us how Elliott Smith's "Pitseleh" was the first song he ever performed live and how it was for the junior high talent show, before he charmed us all one last time. As the night wound down, it was clear much that night had come alive with such hyper-focused awareness, the silence deafening as everyone hung on each word and note as the undivided attention forced everyone into a state of pure amazement.
Set list:
01 "I Should See Memphis"
02 "Sunblind"
03 "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song"
04 "Lopin’ Along Thru the Cosmos"
05 "Close My Eyes" [Arthur Russell cover]
06 "Kept Woman"
07 "Third of May/Ĺdaigahara"
08 "Young Man's Game"
09 "Isles"
10 "I Let You"
11 "Silver Dagger" [traditional cover]
12 "Featherweight"
13 "Courtyard" [Bobbie Gentry cover]
14 "Someone You'd Admire"
15 "Amelia" [Joni Mitchell cover]
16 "Maestranza"
17 "Montezuma"
18 "Blue Spotted Tail"
19 "Mykonos"
20 "The Silky Veils of Ardor" [Joni Mitchell cover]
21 "If You Need To, Keep Time on Me"
22 "In the Morning" [Bee Gees cover]
23 "Meadowlarks"
24 "Oliver James"
25 "The Dolphins" [Fred Neil cover]
26 "I'm Not My Season"
27 "Helplessness Blues"
28 "Pitseleh" [Elliott Smith cover]
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