Peter Bjorn & John, Chairlift at Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn (4/30/09)

Peter Bjorn & John ♥ photo by Jason Tour Dates 05/02/09 Washington DC @ 9:30 Club 07/24/09 Toronto, ON Molson Amph* 07/25/09 Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre* 07/28/09 Bristow, VA @ Nissan Pavilion* 07/31/09 Mansfield, MA Comcast Center* 08/01/09 Atlantic City, NJ @ Borgata* 08/03/09 New York, NY @ MSG* 08/04/09 New York, NY @ MSG* 08/10/09 Seattle, WA @ Key Arena* 08/12/09 Mtn View, CA Shoreline Amph* 08/14/09 Chula Vista, CA @ Cricket Wireless 08/16/09 LA, CA @ Hollywood Bowl* 08/17/09 LA, CA @ Hollywood Bowl* 08/20/09 Santa Barbara County Bow, CA* 08/22/09 Las Vegas, NV @ Pearl* 08/23/09 Phoenix, AZ @ US Airways Ctr* 08/25/09 Salt Lake City, UT @ E Center* 08/27/09 Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Pav* 08/29/09 Dallas, TX @ Superpages Ctr* 08/30/09 Woodlands Pavilion, TX * 09/01/09 Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amp* 09/04/09 Tampa, FL @ Ford Amp* 09/05/09 Sunrise, FL @ Bank Atlantic Ctr* *with Depeche Mode Read More Peter, Bjorn and John http://weheartmus... Speaking of solo album, Peter Morén (you know him as Peter from Peter, Bjorn and John) will also...

Two bands, two synonymous songs. First up, there was Chairlift with their “iPod Nano song” opening for Peter Bjorn & John, the band that brought you the “whistling song.” Were it not for these two songs, I doubt this show would have been a sold-out Ticketmaster event. Despite this, PB&J proved their chops – and in pastel-colored shorts, no less.

Chairlift - Bruises

Chairlift ♥ photo by Jason

PB&J ♥ photo by Jason

PB&J ♥ photo by Jason

Chairlift played to a half-filled venue, and for the most part, the audience seemed half there mentally as well. Perhaps it was the dreary weather or the slow playlist, but there was very little movement among the crowd, save for the occasional headbob or tipsy-girl-in-heels faceplant. Naturally, the audience got excited during their bubbly hit, “Bruises,” but from then on, the band stuck to their mellow, 80’s-revival pop. Lead singer, Caroline Polachek, showed off clear, hypnotizing vocals, but coupled with droning synths and sparse drums, it got lost somewhere in the muddle.

Excitement for PB&J was buzzing even before they took the stage, as the crew unveiled their straightforward, neon-lit backdrop (complete with word, “backdrop” repeated several times). They opened with the slow-burning “Just the Past,” from their latest album, Living Thing, which had just the right amount of energy to slowly awaken the crowd from their reverie.

The popularity of their breakthrough album, Writer’s Block, was palpable, as favorites like “Amsterdam” and “Objects of My Affection” were greeted with instant cheers and dancing. The audience didn’t seem too familiar with songs from Living Thing, but quickly warmed up to catchier tracks like “The Feeling” and “Nothing to Worry About.”

Much of this was attributed to the band’s infectious, sometimes corny enthusiasm. In his powder blue suit, Peter Morén, flaunted Bowie-inspired dance moves while guitarist Björn Yttling had no problem assuming cheesy rock god poses. Amid the flurry of blog-induced hysteria surrounding the band, such unassuming eagerness was endearing. Besides, how can you hate a band with a drummer who hula hoops?

Peter Bjorn & John - Young Folks

When they left the stage, an encore was obvious – they hadn’t even played “Young Folks” yet. Unlike the last time I saw them, they didn’t rely on a pre-recorded whistle. I suppose it wasn’t even necessary, as the whole audience took it upon themselves to whistle the all-too familiar melody. After the group whistle, PB&J ended the show with their obligatory make out/break up song, “Up Against the Wall.” Despite the somber nature of the song, the band seemed entirely joyful, jumping around, dancing, and inviting audience members to hula hoop on stage (and failing miserably).

Such enthusiasm made it easy to overlook all the online hype and Twitter-testimonials, claiming Peter was an asshole. Instead, they were just a band glad to have made it this far. And if they wanted to celebrate such success by playing the bongos in tiny pastel shorts, why stop them?

 05/02/2009 03:58:28 ♥ kateg () ♥ peterbjornandjohn.com ♥ myspace.com/peterbjornandjohn