Grizzly Bear – The Opera House March 3, 2018

Brooklyn band Grizzly Bear filled the picturesque Wellington Opera House for the first of two dates last night, as part of the New Zealand Festival. The atmospheric venue, done up with grey stage hangings, was filled to the back with an audience encompassing a diverse age range, all drawn away from a bustling Saturday night in the city to soak in the music.

The four-piece were spread evenly across the front of the stage – it was nice to see the drum kit at the front alongside everything else for a change. Joining the core members was a multi-instrumentalist hidden away behind the band out of the spotlight, almost obscured behind an upright piano, synthesizers and several other instruments which he used to add a lot of colour to the group’s sound. The band members, besides the drummer, all juggled guitars and keyboards as well.

The thing that stood out from the very first track, Aquarian, was the great drumming. Drummer Christopher Taylor has a colourful and expressive style, full of effortless ear-catching fills and off-centre beats that really provide the songs with a strong rhythmic interest. Infact it was his playing and the bands’ ocassional use of shifting time signatures that kept much of the music from coming across to me as a nondescript wash of atmospheric indie, as some of the more straightforward tracks did.

This shortcoming was mainly due to the sameness of most of the tracks played – the group’s blend of acoustic and electric instrumentation soon developed an indistinct character, blending together guitars, piano, bass and synthesizers in an atmospheric but bland concoction. Lead singers Edward Droste and Daniel Rossen both have good voices but neither had quite the vocal presence to lead the often meandering tunes, instead blending in with them.

The great moments did come however, and most of them came when the group launched into big loud dynamics, such as early in Cut-Out and Fine For Now; both songs with a laid-back beat and intricate drumming that built into an intense heavy climax. The band held my interest the most when getting noisy, while more reserved indie pop cuts like Two Weeks and Mourning Sound seemed unmemorable.

These rockier moments, though far between, were made more effective by extreme flickering lights. Indeed the light show throughout was an integral part of the performance, a beautifully crafted display tailored strongly to the songs. It perfectly complimented both the music and the ornate venue.

The sound in the theatre was great, and I noticed the drums were noticeably high in the mix – which as I mentioned before was certainly a good thing.

Most of the set leant heavily on last year’s Painted Ruins and 2009’s Veckatimest, though it was Sleeping Ute from 2012’s Shields that was a highlight for me, matching some great drumming and guitar riffs with an actual engaging folky melody.

While I would have liked a lot more variation in the set, I must take into account that I was unfamiliar with these songs beforehand, and the audience, who knew them better, were certainly vocal and enthusiastic. After the main set closed with While You Wait For The Others, the crowd cheered enthusiastically for an encore for a long time before the band returned to the stage for the gentle folky Shift, the only track they played from their 2004 debut Horn of Plenty. They then finished with Sun In Your Eyes, in which bassist Chris Taylor showed off his multi-instrumental skills on the saxophone (he previously played some woodwind and contributed great backing vocals as well).

To my ears, Grizzly Bear have all the playing and musicality nailed, particularly in the rhythmic department, but are simply lacking in memorable songwriting. However, while I wasn’t thrilled by the performance there were certainly enough musically great moments to make me understand the appeal of the band to their audience, and judging by overheard comments and chatter while exiting the venue, it was a satisfied audience indeed. Based on this reaction I have no doubt that the next night’s audience will be feeling likewise when leaving the same venue.   

Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Ruby Wilkinson:

 

Ruben Mita.

 

Setlist –

Aquarian

Losing All Sense

Cut-Out

Yet Again

Fine For Now

Ready, Able

Sleeping Ute

Mourning Sound

Glass Hillside

Two Weeks

On A Neck, On A Spit

Foreground

Knife

Three Rings

While You Wait For The Others

 

encore –

Shift

Sun In Your Eyes