22/02/2008
Les Savy Fav
The Astoria
Sunday 10th February
I would like to preface this review with the following admission: I love Les Savy Fav and have done for many years. This confession may lead you to believe that what you're about to read is steeped in personal bias and narrow-minded self-interest. I assure you it's not, you have my word.
Having played together for 12 years the musical arm of LSF is incredibly tight. The music sounds pitch perfect. However, they're not afraid to demonstrate their improvisational skills, allowing set closer '(Rome) Written Upside Down' room to breath and adding in their own technical flourishes. I've seen this song performed live six times now and it's always different. Never the same.
Despite their musical brilliance lead singer Tim Harrington is (of course) the man to watch. His boundless energy, wit and showmanship are worth the entry price alone. At the start of their set he bemoans the barriers at the front of the stage keeping audience and band separated. This doesn't stop him from plunging into the crowd at any given opportunity, allowing the baying fans to take the mic during the wolf howl section of latest single What Would Wolves Do? (I urge you to check out the video for this song, already a contender for best music video of the year) and generally mucking in with the dancing and sweaty crowd.
I have to say there's nothing quite like watching a band in the middle of a group of people, who are all as excited as you are, and who are also singing along to every word. It shows how much attention Harrington commands that on his frequent trips to the back of the Astoria the entire crowd are watching where he's going and not the band; although they don't let this phase them.
Les Savy Fav play a set which relies heavily on latest album 'Let's be friends' (naturally) but this is by no means a bad thing. 'The Equestrian' is a rollicking beast of a song and 'Patty Lee' begins the first sing along of the night. Follow this with the decadence drenched 'Raging in the Plague Age' (sample lyric "draw up the drawbridge draw down the blinds everyone inside is getting high tonight") and you have a powerful brace of song.
The band still delve into their back catalogue and songs like 'Reprobates Resume', 'The Sweat Descends' and 'One Way Widow' are received like old friends. Les Savy Fav play each show as if it were the most important one they've ever played. There are no shortcuts or half measures. Tim Harrington's frequent costume changes add to the show rather than detract from it and never come off as contrived, or 'try hard', as could be the case with other bands. The fact that he's a slightly corpulent fellow, with a balding head, huge beard, and demeanour of an ADD afflicted child, helps add to his charm.
After playing an exhausting hour long set the band still come back on for a four song encore. This includes a cover of The Pixies ‘Debaser’, which has the worn out crowd using the last of their energy reserves to dance along to it. It's a sign of a great band that as soon as I've walked out of the Astoria I want to listen to them on my iPod; Les Savy Fav definitely rock the party that rocks the party! Party! PARTY!
Words: Andrew Devine
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