Setlist Tour Dates
07/01/13 Chicago, IL Park West
07/02/13 "Coast West Music Festival" 07/05/13 Phila, PA Theatre Of The Living Arts 07/06/13 Washington, DC Sixth & I 07/08/13 Boston, MA Brighton Music Hall 07/09/13 Brooklyn, NY Music Hall 07/10/13 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom 07/26/13 "Ansan Valley Rock Festival" 07/27/13 "Splendour In The Grass" 08/04/13 "Camp Bestival" 09/07/13 "Bestival" Podcast Hear John and Vu's first thoughts on Simon Harper and The Polyphonic Spree: Read More The Polyphonic Spree were as epic as expected. With the cast of thousands they were highly entertaining. It’s always brilliant to see such a large group of people coming together and performing so tightly…
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HARPER SIMON
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I noted in the audio reaction, Harper Simon had this irregular speech pattern, where he'll start a sentence and then sort of trail off or end it midway. I suspect he was on medication, recovering from a recent illness that had him cancelling out the first show at the last minute.
As for the live set, I didn't think he played any songs from the self-titled album, which is fine because I actually thought his new material is good, particularly when played live and especially near the end with "Bonnie Brae", followed by "Just Like St. Teresa" (he switched to acoustic for this song), "Veteran's Parade", and ending on a very high energetic note of "'99" and "Dixie Cleopatra". Later on, Polyphonic Spree's leader Tim DeLaughter would comment how much he loved that last song on stage.
The Polyphonic Spree took the stage in a bit of "secret" fashion of a large 30-foot canvas stretched across the front of the stage. The opening entrance was a little dramatic and totally unnecessary, but it's fun as DeLaughter spray painted the word he wanted the audience to do: "Smile".
If you aren't familiar with The Polyphonic Spree, this Texas band is known for a lively show with a large cast of musicians on stage. We're talking at least double digits, and, man, it is fun to see everyone doing their part with the cello, harp (yes, a harp!), violins, brass section, keyboards, double percussions and the four dedicated choir singers (who had their own great dance routines)!
The five-song (six if you count the harp solo) encore seemed a little excessive, but I think this is "normal" for the Polyphonic Spree. I enjoyed it all, but I think they could have just left on a high note with "Lithium" or arrange that song to be played last.
The entertaining The Polyphonic Spree is currently on tour with Harper Simon. Look for Simon's Division Street, out now, and Polyphonic Spree's Yes, It's True, out in August.
Polyphonic Spree at the Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (06/28/13) |
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