Seeing as it was Cinco de Mayo, a holiday now built around the concept of drinking, I was prepared for more mayhem this past Saturday. While there were moments of abandon in the evening, the band kept it mostly reigned in. And yes, I say this despite the fact that McCauley’s last few moments on El Rey’s stage involved him pulling down his pants and playing his guitar with his freed “member.”

McCauley, sporting a bowtie with his collared shirt, admitted he (with the slightest bit of sheepishness) was on a combination of things, including vitamins, during their last appearance in Los Angeles.

Regardless, the evening was enjoyable and Deer Tick are one of those bands that come across better live than on record, and appreciated by individuals that some may find surprising. In tribute to fallen Beastie Boy Adam Yauch (MCA), Deer Tick launched into a faithful cover of “Fight For Your Right (To Party)” with the help of opening act Turbo Fruits. Despite the many attempts to call her up on stage, Ke$ha did not join in.

The evening ended with gusto with an appropriate cover of Ritchie Valens’ “La Bamba,” and a rousing “Let’s All Go to the Bar.” Photos by Leslie Kalohi

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Setlist:
Mean to Me
I Need You Back
The Rules
Free
Wasted & Ready
Gossip
Falling
Thirteen (had a tear come down)
On My Way
Walk On Me
Out The Door
Full Circle
Sundress
Jealous Girl
Commerce, TX

Encore:
Fight
Penny On The Train Track

Define polyphonic: “Polyphony is a texture consisting of two or more melodic individual voices.” Spree: “an unrestrained indulgence in or outburst of activity.”

That pretty much describes the group known as the Polyphonic Spree, that large group of joyous robed Texans who toured around, starting at the beginning of the century, and recorded three albums, including one with Disneyland Records. Founded by lead singer Tim Delaughter, formerly of the band Tripping Daisy, they are back on tour and were back in Los Angeles Monday night.

Following the agreeable singer-songwriter Sweet Lee Morrow, and the chaotic, loud, cacophonous one-man-sampler-band New Fumes, a red cloth was drawn across the stage, hiding the assembling musicians and creating suspense for the crowded theatre, which was packed with people from every age group: pregnant women, pensive adolescents, artists, squares, a guy in a tutu, a guy in a Polyphonic Spree branded white robe, plus yours truly…

The first time I experienced the Spree was as a young lad living in Washington, DC. I was working door staff at the 9:30 Club, and watched that night from the top of the house near the artist dressing rooms. Working door staff meant watching the crowd, and each night brought a different vibe, a different call-and-response energy produced by performer and crowd. But this night was something extraordinary. These people were so happy!

The rapport between the group and the crowd was like a secular yet spiritual joy revival. Between the set and the encore, Delaughter ran upstairs and asked young me “How was it?”

“It was great!” And it was. And after the show, when the place cleared out except for me and the band, two girl choir members—a couple of the most beautiful, free, aquarian girls I had ever seen—invited me to some after-party at the Velvet Lounge. But after work, I couldn’t find it! I went home and was simultaneously devastated, and in love with those girls, and that band… I wanted to run away from home and join the happy music cult.

Nearly a decade later, not sure what to expect, we wait in the El Rey. Suddenly a heart shape is cut out of the red cloth, a white robed chest appears through with another heart on it, the cloth is removed, and the polyphony sprees: trumpets, harp, cello, flute, keyboard, guitar, bass, drums, a five girl super animated choir, and more, plus Tim Delaughter singing, in a distorted genuine psychedelic Texas high warble, about love, all at once…

The set and the group looks like it was drawn by Marijke of the Fool, their robes now and adorned with red hearts at the chest (sorta like Tenderheart from the Care Bears) and an assorted rainbow of colors on the bottom. It’s all so melodious, unadulterated and boundless. Early on, Delaughter spazzes out a little, almost, to himself, to channel that state of mind, to lead these people to the promised land, the implied land, the land that these people obviously still love and long to go to, that they get to when they listen, on headphones at their office jobs, at home, on a run… Maybe their parents are Spree fans, maybe none of their friends will open up to it, or are ready to. It’s not trying to be hip place, it’s just a land of joy and love.

After a couple of songs, people are jumping, singing along, dancing, feeling genuinely embarrassed but not caring, because it’s all so beautiful. The band is incredibly entertaining, but I find myself again watching the crowd at least half of the performance. To see that group of people transformed from an un-enchanted conventional reality mindset to wherever it is inside that the Polyphonic Spree allows them to go, and to see it all set free, is really beautiful and moving.

The songs were mostly from the albums, the first two of which I am more familiar with, so I can’t really attest to whether there were some new songs, or if they were from the third album; but all of the original compositions were great and expansive. They played one cover of the Who’s “Pinball Wizard” that seemed forced, and personally I did not care as much for it–but then I don’t like the Who. And that was towards the beginning of what was a long set and extensive encore that left the crowd feeling high.

At the end of the performances an interesting visual and sonic effect had each band member departing, one by one, allowing that member to be applauded as his or her contribution was now apparent in its absence. At the end of the set the polyphony was subtracted down to just the harpist and Delaughter, joyously prancing about playing instruments, duetting with the harpist. After the final encore song, “The Championship,” it was down to just Delaughter, duet-ing with the audience, as we sang along: “All in good time raise our voices.” If those voices are uplifting, loving and inspiring, let that time be now.

-Jesse Rakusin

Everyone I know is hating on the new Autolux album. “It sounds like Radiohead… why can’t they stay a rock band… they are playing to click tracks… leave chillwave to the kids…” They are pretty much getting it from all sides. Well I urge y’all to withhold judgement until you see the songs played live. People who have a problem with the programmed beats might be stoked to see Carla punching them in real time onstage. The gritty tonality of Autolux’s live approach adds depth and weight to everything they touch and the sheer dark intensity of focus and mystery they bring to the stage brings everything forth that may have failed to make it onto tape. These are Autolux songs and they will throttle you. The only strange thing was their deviance from the hermetically-sealed bubble of severity that usually characterizes the Autolux stage presence. Eugene’s hair was long and kind of curly, Carla actually smiled–several times. At first they looked like themselves, but a rocked-out version who has been on tour for a long time and is feeling wooly. In short order, though, they puled it together, bringing the grinding machine of off-kilter rock that makes them so lovable.

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If you play in bands, and ever get any good, you might have the wonderful experience of being in your favorite band in the world. Watching Tokyo Police Club play it is easy to see they feel that way about their own band. They are so genuinely excited to be playing together, so happy to be playing their music. You can watch them get fired up when the y start a song, jumping up and down going “Yeah!!! Let’s play that one!!! I fucking LOVE that one!!!!” A total joy. Good songs, good players, explosions of youthful enthusiasm. It is no wonder they sold out the El Rey.

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Singer songwriter Kaki King captivated the audience Saturday night, May 22 at the El Rey theater. Kaki doesn’t so much play the guitar as go to battle with it. She admits it is a battle she has yet to win but the crowd was content to watch in awe as she tried. She closed the night with a bit of a dance party setting up a loop on her lap steel guitar and jumping into the crowd. Australian indie duo and part time comedy team An Horse opened the show.

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Los Campesinos are Welsh, and they are excited and they are many. Nine of them played passionate, tight songs that moved the El Rey to jumping and shouting. By the time of the encore, played from within the crowd, those who hadn’t arrived convinced of Los Campesinos’ sincerity and importance had yelled and crowd surfed their way to conversion.

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Autolux performing at The El Rey on September 25, 2009.

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NASA performing at The El Rey on August 12, 2009 with FatLip opening the show.

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—Daiana Feuer