Eclectic Artistry - Sufjan Stevens

I can definitely say that there are a few key things I look for in a good songs. I look for a nice guitar riff, good chord progressions, a nice chorus, and a heavy emphasis on the band sounds. On the other hand, I try not to limit myself to these credentials and remain open to any kind of music I can get my hands on. I had heard of Sufjan Stevens before tonight but I'm now a firm believer that no one knows Sufjan Stevens unless you have seen him live. His performance was one of the most chaotic, yet harmonious concerts I have ever seen and I'm still trying tot decide whether it was all too much or just enough. Stevens grew up in Michigan and recorded his first album,  A Sun Came, in 2000 while finishing up college. He plays a variety of instruments including the banjo, guitar, bass, drums, english horn, and oboe. Since his first album, his recordings have ranged from moody acoustic sets (Carrie and Lowell) to the outlandish and avant garde (Illinois). Over time, his performances have become grand and ornate and Stevens seems to be forever on the quest to change and update his sound. He has released seven albums in total and while he's never had a blockbuster record per say, he has a loyal following and is quite well known. His opener was Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, a local Virginia band who formed in 2003 and have released five albums in the electronic rock genre.

At first, I was taken aback by this show. Let me describe the stage. At the center was Stevens, dressed in a space suit like costume with a banjo draped in banners. Along with his core band, there were several brass players in vibrant suits flanked by three girl dancers who were wearing glow in the dark costumes. Behind everyone was a huge projection of spacey images At one point, there was an inflatable robot that towered over Stevens and the rest of the band. His first few songs was a deluge of sound and even though the band is quite good, they were overpowered by the sheer multimedia presentation of the performance. It was hard to tell where one song ended and the other began and Stevens was perfectly content with not being the center of the sound. For most of the show, I thought everything was too over the top and his artistry was hidden behind a wall of crazed sound. Honestly, i was disappointed. What didn't help was that Thao and the Get Down, Steven's opener, were quite bad.  They tried to be a rock band an electronic artist and ended up being neither. The singers voice was not suited to the type of music and their unrealized musical direction was a little hard to hear. But alas, the show ended on a high note. Sufjan came back for an encore backed by only his banjo and  a guitar. At that moment, I finally got to here the beauty of his music and his great voice. I also began to understand his message of living life and being appreciative of everything around you. His Christian values were a lear influence on his music and it was great hearing an artist so passionate about peace and harmony. In the end, I can't say that Sufjan Stevens is one of my favorite artist, but his concert showed me that he is one of the great musicians of today and I have nothing but respect and admiration for his message and musical style. In the end, isn't that what all musicians want?

My favorite part of the show was when he played Chicago! While this was during the loud part of the show, I think it was one of the few moments when the whole spectacle locked in and brought the song to a whole new level. the audience was engaged and the soft spoken Stevens couldn't have been happier.

As always, looking forward to more shows in the future!

DC

Sufjan Stevens

Thao and the Get Down