Chicago: Andrew Bird is playing Logan Square Auditorium on Friday, November 24 and Saturday, November 25. Get tickets here.
It has been said that Andrew Bird is the most talented violinist to dedicate his life to contemporary music (as opposed to classical). I just might agree. He is an incredible musician, and this comes through very clearly both on record as well as live. Described as a violinist, guitarist, vocalist, and whistler extraordinare, Andrew Bird has released an enormous pile of well-crafted music. His first band, Andrew Bird's Bowl Of Fire, played a mix of folk, old-style jazz (think 1920s), soul, and rock. In the last few years, he has been working solo (but usually touring with a drummer). Nowadays he plays music that is more relaxed, but he still maintains the energy he has always carried.
I have seen Andrew Bird live twice. Both times were at music festivals -- at Intonation in 2005, and at this year's Lollapalooza. In order to compete with all the sound at Lolla, he added in electronic bass lines (played by Martin Dosh, who was drumming as well). I, personally, didn't like this too much. I understand why he did it (Lolla needs to work on balancing sound issues, so one stage's sound doesn't bleed into another), but electronic bass lines really don't work for his music. The first time I saw him, however, I was completely mesmerized. He was AMAZING. He uses looping (i.e. he plays a phrase and it repeats as he plays a new phrase on top of the first one -- listen to Measuring Cups, below, to hear an example of this), and he is always changing and rearranging his pieces for a live setting. This makes his live performances so interesting and captivating. I am so looking forward to seeing him again.
LISTEN:
Andrew Bird - Way Out West (live, from Fingerlings 2)
Andrew Bird - Measuring Cups (live, from Fingerlings 3)
It has been said that Andrew Bird is the most talented violinist to dedicate his life to contemporary music (as opposed to classical). I just might agree. He is an incredible musician, and this comes through very clearly both on record as well as live. Described as a violinist, guitarist, vocalist, and whistler extraordinare, Andrew Bird has released an enormous pile of well-crafted music. His first band, Andrew Bird's Bowl Of Fire, played a mix of folk, old-style jazz (think 1920s), soul, and rock. In the last few years, he has been working solo (but usually touring with a drummer). Nowadays he plays music that is more relaxed, but he still maintains the energy he has always carried.
I have seen Andrew Bird live twice. Both times were at music festivals -- at Intonation in 2005, and at this year's Lollapalooza. In order to compete with all the sound at Lolla, he added in electronic bass lines (played by Martin Dosh, who was drumming as well). I, personally, didn't like this too much. I understand why he did it (Lolla needs to work on balancing sound issues, so one stage's sound doesn't bleed into another), but electronic bass lines really don't work for his music. The first time I saw him, however, I was completely mesmerized. He was AMAZING. He uses looping (i.e. he plays a phrase and it repeats as he plays a new phrase on top of the first one -- listen to Measuring Cups, below, to hear an example of this), and he is always changing and rearranging his pieces for a live setting. This makes his live performances so interesting and captivating. I am so looking forward to seeing him again.
LISTEN:
Andrew Bird - Way Out West (live, from Fingerlings 2)
Andrew Bird - Measuring Cups (live, from Fingerlings 3)
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