By: Billy Graves
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A Hawk and A Hacksaw - Photo by Steve Engelmeyer
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I’ve often wondered why American Idol, the most confusing and frustrating musical phenomenon since white people hijacked swing music, has the authority to say one singer is more worthwhile than another. I guess if you want to help decide the next pliable record company tool, American Idol is a good competition. But if you want to hear the best new singing musician, you should give up on mass media, pick up a copy of Gulag Orketrar and have gone to the Triple Rock last Saturday night, to hear Zach Condon of Beirut.
The six person band out of Albuquerque, New Mexico, proved that neo-traditional Balkan folk music, paired with Zach Condon’s unbelievably honest and incredibly rich vocal stylings, strongly resonates with an American audience.
The first of two openers turned out to be the band’s sound man [under the stage name Animal Hospital]. He played soundscape-styled music with a very art school/DIY sound. His set was cut in half because of complications getting the equipment set up and mic checked; I found this somewhat ironic.
The next opener, A Hawk and A Hacksaw, was a little more appropriate for the mood of the night. In fact, Jeremy Barnes, one of the two members of A Hawk and A Hacksaw and member of the now broken up Neutral Milk Hotel, contributed to the making of Gulag Orkestrar.
A Hawk and A Hacksaw’s set consisted entirely of Balkan traditional music. The group featured Heather Trost on violin and Jeremy Barnes on accordion, as well as bass drum, cymbals, and tambourine, all at once. Barnes did this by fashioning a tambourine hat with a drum stick tied on. The technique, which seemed to me to be similar to the old “rub your stomach and pat your head at the same time” trick, was only moderately successful. Overall, their set was wonderful, and adequately worked the crowd up for the night’s main event.
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Zach Condon of Beirut playing in the audience - Photo by Steve Engelmeyer
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Almost everyone who came to the show must have known the age of the lead singer Zach Condon (he’s 19 years old), but I doubt many people really believed it. Well, turns out he really is a 19-year-old.
It wasn’t just Zach that was young, either; half the band seemed to be between college and high school age. At one point in time, it was announced that it was the birthday of Zach’s most prominent sideman, an energetic percussionist/ukulele player. First, he said he was turning 22, but then joked that he was actually 16 – if that was true, I wouldn’t be surprised. But the age range of the crowd was equally strange – everyone from a group of 40-year-old Korean men to a couple of Eastern European grandparents came out to enjoy Beirut.
The set started out, sans Jeremy Barnes, with several tracks from Gulag Orkestrar. My friend was skeptical that Beirut could pull of the elegant, orchestral sound their album achieved. However, after the band went through faithful renditions of “Gulag Orkestrar” and “Brandenburg,” his skepticism seemed to have dissipated.
The band played both of the Casio-tone tracks (“After the Curtain” and “Scenic World”) off of Gulag Orkestrar with full band backing, which seemed to validate for me how acquainted the band was with their neo-traditional Balkan folk sound.
The highlight of the evening came during the encore. Both Zach and his 16/22-year-old side man got off the stage and sang/played the gypsy traditional “Siki Siki Baba” from within the Triple Rock crowd. While this may sound like a shtick, it was pulled off wonderfully: perhaps because most of the band members would not be allowed to see their own show without a fake ID.
Even though Beirut’s album was one of my favorite released this year, I must admit I had my suspicions about how produced Zach Condon’s voice was on Gulag Orkestrar. But after hearing Beirut live, I have to say that Zach Condon is, as cheesy as it sounds, the real deal. We should all be thankful that he chose indie rock, rather than mainstream music, as his medium of choice. But even if he did let the American Idol crowd in on his talent, I think I would be happy. Then, maybe, they would appreciate a singer who has technical and artistic talent.
Beirut’s forthcoming EP will be released on vinyl next month. The CD is scheduled for release in America in January 2007.
Set List:
Gulag Orkestar
Brandenburg
After the Curtain – (fully orchestrated)
Mount Wroclai
The Canals of our City
Postcards From Italy
Scenic World – (fully Orchestrated)
Brazil – (Desi Arnaz cover)
Elephant Gun – (new track)
Siki Siki Baba – (Balkan/Gypsy traditional)
Location Info:
Triple Rock Social Club
Artist Info: A Hawk and A Hacksaw, Animal Hospital, Beirut
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