St. Awesome

Having had the pleasure of seeing St. Vincent during CMJ, it was no difficult decision to attend her show at the Bowery Ballroom last night. First off, openers Foreign Born won themselves some new fans with their brisk set of somewhat folky songs that also pack plenty of room for outright rocking. The lead singer’s boozy wail sets an important tone for the band’s sound, throaty and relaxed at times while at others reaching climactic highs and even tiptoeing into the range of angelic on some numbers. The guy on electric guitar stood out as well with his enthused, shoulder-dipping solo picking that pushes the group into the jammin’ rock band category. The vocal input that each member contributed to the mix made for a nice camaraderie that added depth, and lovely sounding harmonies that really brought it all home. All this managed to come across well despite the fact that somehow, there are times when the group sounds remarkably like freakin’ U2 – see “Don’t Take Back Your Time.” It’s odd indeed how this sensation comes creeping in when you least expect it, even though not one of the members was wearing a cowboy hat or funny glasses.

And then for the main attraction. Annie Clark, the woman behind the St. Vincent moniker, is known to carry with her quite the elaborate live set-up with her numerous effects pedals and multiple microphones, all to contribute to the recreation in person of her layered album Marry Me. Thusly, she could be seen crouching thoughtfully on stage before she began her set, carefully arranging the equipment while donning a furry hunting cap. This was interesting to observe, because soon after she ducked backstage, only to emerge as St. Vincent in a pretty party dress and strapped to her shiny red guitar. This all seemed terribly appropriate, for the transformation that Clark takes on stage is certainly something to behold – she’s visibly shaken by her music as she jitters back and forth, throws her head around as if the victim of some strange dementia, and knocks her knees like a nervous child, all in the name of rock. Seeing her perform is at once thrilling due to the discovery that she’s a killer guitar player — scratching out her parts like a seasoned pro — and at the same time her enthusiasm and apparent connection to the music is just plain awe inspiring. Those hoping to take in the fine Marry Me would certainly not be disappointed when attending one of her shows, but I imagine they might not have expected to be in the presences of a modern fuckin’ rock star. Her adorable, doll-like appearance, fantastic playing skills, and that connection to the music that’s grabbed her like an infection all come together to offer a wonderfully complete concert going experience.

Bonus, her earth-shattering cover of “Dig A Pony,” a remarkable thing that she augmented this evening with an anecdote about confusing taxidermy in Minnesota.