Quiet Color

photos and post by marc evan

I walked through lower Manhattan towards Battery Park on Saturday July 4th, passing my former apartment, and all the memories that clung to it.  I also passed the former site of the World Trade Center.  Or the scar on the Manhattan cityscape that was once the WTC.  As I walked passed the, lets just call it “the scar,”  I felt a little empty, somewhat embarrassed and quite upset.  It is now eight years since those buildings were taken from us and we are still reminded of our failures by the fact that no building stands proudly in its place.  No fitting memorial.  No museum.  Just an eyesore, a scar, and a reminder of a wound that has not fully healed.

Artist: Jenny Lewis feat. Conor Oberst Song: Handle With Care

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But then as I continued on, I made my way to Battery Park.  Through the trees and over the fences I could see throngs of people gathered for The River To River Festival.  Since 2002 this extremely well run festival has been the one constant glimmer of hope and excitement in lower Manhattan.  They have done their jobs at providing great culture and entertainment year after year, doing their part to show that NYC can and will move on.

Just a little farther, past the crowds and trees, I could see her, Lady Liberty.  This day marked an important victory for freedom.  And it wasn’t the anniversary of our country’s independence.  July 4th 2009 marked the official reopening of The Statue of Liberty.  Since Sept 11th, 2001, entry above the pedestal of the statue has been forbidden.  Now finally, visitors (locals and tourists alike) can once again climb the steep, and narrow spiral stairs into the Statue’s body and up to see the view from her crown.

Also noteworthy, is the spectacular weather we had for Independence Day.  After a spring and early summer that was plagued with rain and storms, the skies were finally crystal clear blue with puffy white clouds.  A perfect day for rooftop parties, watching fireworks, and a great concert.  Which after a few tangents, brings us to why we are here. With the background established its time to discuss the show.

Jenny Lewis opened up to the mixed audience.  The one common denominator of the crowd was that everyone was having a great time.  Die hard fans, casual observers, and families with a day off, were all mingling and all having a blast.  Jenny came out rocking, draped in an American flag and wearing lots of red, white, and blue.  Her vocals were delightful and as angelic as always, but her band was amazing as well.  They did much more than just back their leader.  The somewhat tag team approach to instruments was very impressive.  The girls in the band easily switched spots a few times throughout the show, taking turns on drums, guitars, keys, and percussion.  The two gents in the band were fantastic as well.  They played through a great set that included singles from the new album Acid Tongue, along with a great mix of older material, including “You Are What You Love”, “Rise Up With Fists,” and a Conor Oberst assisted rendition of the Traveling Wilbury’s song, “Handle With Care.”

“Saturday in the park, I think it was the 4th of July.”  Jenny Lewis sang out that classic Chicago intro while playing the keys, beautifully segueing into her song “Born Secular.”  The moving song was a moment for the girls in the band to really shine as  their delicate harmonies brought the set to a close.

After a short break, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band took the stage.  They got the party started rather quickly with “NYC, Gone Gone,” a song that makes you want to clap, stomp, and grab the person beside you and spin around arm in arm.  Not surprisingly, this full set of tunes, included favorites from last year’s self titled album, Conor Oberst,  plus a good heaping from the more recent, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band release, Outer South.  It appears that Conor has fully shed his Bright Eyes, “emo” persona, for the new improved alt/country/rocker appearance.

The band continued through the set playing favorites like “Sausalito,” “Eagle on a Pole,” and “Moab,” along with newer tracks like “Nikorette” and “Spoiled.”  Similar to the last album, Outer South, each great player in the band had their own shining moments, each having an opportunity to take lead and sing a song or two.  This round robin approach works surprisingly well on both the album and in the live performance.  It’s a feat not many bands of our generation can pull off.  They execute it flawlessly, evoking classic 70s country rock like The Band or Crosby, Stills, and Nash.  The Mystic Valley Band are that good.

The band kept the crowd interaction minimal, instead packing many songs into the loaded set.  The few interactions were both funny and thoughtful.  When the band returned to the stage after a short break, signaling the beginning of the encore set, Conor explained to an elated crowd,”We are going to do a couple quiet ones, a couple loud ones, and then if you stick around there will be some fireworks,” referring to the annual fireworks display that would appear later in the evening.

Towards the end of the set, the band jammed away and Conor went through his roll call, illustrating each band member with a little intro, anecdote, or superlative.  We had taken a long musical journey, and now, together, we were reaching our final destination.  This led right into the song many people had been waiting for, “I Don’t Want To Die In The Hospital.”  Such a fun, rollicking, good song.  As they played through to the end of their set, I got the strong impression that I may never see this band play the same song, the same way twice.  Each show there are emotional variations and improvisations, whatever feels natural.  It makes for such a unique experience in this day, when many bands sound like they simply pressed play on their ipod. Each vocal variation, each extended guitar riff, make me want to see this band perform live again and again.

The Mystic Valley Band wrapped up a great day, with Conor telling the crowds that he saved the most patriotic song for last, “Roosevelt Room.”  His final words to the red, white, and blue garbed audience: “God Bless the new America.”  Amen to that.