Deerhunter, Tiger Choir @Billboard, Melbourne(09/02/2011)

Mon 14th Feb, 2011 in Gig Reviews

The St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival is famous for its fantastic lineup, always delivering the most alternative acts of old on a platter, along with new acts that are set to both shock and whisk audiences away on a journey of lustrous music and memorable performances. Deerhunter were one of those bands on the ‘hipster loving’ lineup that immediately got people talking (if not for their music, but for their attitude), and it was evident from the outset that the venue would deliver and the crowd were collectively in love with this slightly awkward band.

Tiger Choir is a band that many are unfamiliar with. Hailing from the humble city of Hobart, Tasmania, this group of young men displayed a keen sense of style and direction. With a sound similar to that of Beach Fossils, sitting in between the upbeat intricacies of Foals and low fi ‘60s pop of Real Estate, this group showcased songs that were easy going and mellow. Songs such as Young Loving and Dancer invited the audience in with its offbeat elements, engaging interest by maintaining a constant flow of energy from one track to the next. Their songs seem developed, with collapsed synth sounds mixing well with crisp drumming and howling clear vocals. The lyrics were hard to distinguish due to their distorted musicality, but nevertheless the sound was ever changing and hypnotising, with many lost in a trance rather than actively listening. Although prior to their set starting people were exclaiming “who is this Tiger Choir band?” by the time they left the stage those same people were asking “do they have an album yet?” – Now that is a good sign for any band, let alone one that is on the rise this early on.

Bradford Cox is somewhat of an enigma; openly pretentious and honestly volatile, so it came as a surprise to see that his on stage persona was quite jovial. Cox entered the stage and immediately made it clear that he is a personality, “I learn’t about John Batman today, who settled Melbourne. In America, we have Batman. He settles criminals.” After a quiet chuckle from the audience, the band got straight into playing Desire Lines, a track from their latest record Halcyon Digest. The vocals of Lockett Pundt (who also performs under the moniker of Lotus Plaza) were deep, yet light and airy, harnessing the vulnerability of the lyrics “when you were young, you never knew which way to go, what was once gray, no undertones”. The melody of this song is casual, yet it has an instant charm that remains in your mind and gives an essence of what this group is all about. According to Cox, Deerhunter is a stream of lyrical consciousness, where nothing is really planned or contrived. This is certainly the ethos that was evoked in their artistry and mere presence. This band not only has skill, but also a fine understanding of each other.

Deerhunter have songs that are enlightening, and covertly have some which highlight and conjure feelings of disgust and angst. Their temperament was fragile, treating each song with care and purpose, conveying the density of both their musicality and their words. As Cox sang Memory Boy, the tones in his voice were so defenseless and haunting as the lyrics “it’s not a house anymore” filled the space in echoes. Weaving their way through a catalogue of their contemporary songs that are modest and damp sounding, Deerhunter made sure that such songs did not become tiresome. They deterred a feeling of monotony by building and connecting songs with luscious delicate improvisation. Revival shortly changed the mood, and made people a little light on their toes, until a subtle mosh began to Nothing Ever Happened. Known in the early days for confusing audiences with his dress at live shows, Cox was modest and plain, and did not endeavor to wear a dress or smear fake blood all over his face for the shock value; instead he let his musicianship speak for itself. The gimmicks and added elements of props and costuming were not needed to enhance the performance of this group, who had no trouble holding the interest of those who were at the foot of the stage, to those who were wading by the wings. Cox joked with the audience when he exclaimed how much he loves playing in Melbourne, “I don’t say that to every city, so don’t go thinking that I am scripted.” He then went on to point out the many smiling faces he noticed in the crowd, “It is good to see you aren’t all standing with your arms folded like you’re in a photo shoot.” They then went on to play Helicopter and the very popular Agoraphobia, before exiting the stage with He Would Have Laughed (a song in tribute to the late Jay Reatard), with Cox simply finishing the lyrics “where do your friends go?”, and leaving the stage. This was of course not a satisfying end to such a night, and the band returned for an incredible encore.

Cox called out to the audience for a guy named Oliver, whom he mentioned has been a main supporter of Deerhunter right from the start. He asked Oliver to join him on the stage and pick a song he would like the band to play. It was either staged or the perfect example of spontaneity, but upon request the band got straight into Strange Lights, much to the crowds delight. This then merged into a free form experiment, where drummer Moses Archuleta and Cox began to pull apart the drum kit and make it into a circle in the centre of the stage, where all members stood and liberally hit the drums and cymbals in perfect pattern, bouncing off each other’s movement and energy. Joshua Fauver handed his bass to the audience during this segment, while Cox intermittently returned to the edge of the stage, where he sat and held hands with those in the front row. This period of interpretive music was hypnotising and engaging, however those that were otherwise unfamiliar with Deerhunter perhaps were not as enthralled by Cox’s ad-hoc mentality, and found the end of the show to be a disappointment to an otherwise well thought out set.

Cox, the master of disguise in both his mysterious nature, and in his ability to adapt his mood, captured the core of Deerhunter with his weird interaction with the audience, although all band members equally displayed enthusiasm and a real love for what they do. It’s an odd love, but there was love all around that night Deerhunter were in town.