NostalgiaBliss

tweexcoreunderground:

ALRIGHT SO I SAW JEFF MANGUM IN PHILADELPHIA LAST NIGHT

Needless to say, simply stating that it was the best show I’ve ever been to would be an understatement. In fact, I’d say the whole thing was more of a religious experience than an actual concert, which sort of made the Irving Auditorium’s intimate church-style venue all the more appropriate. There really wasn’t an aspect about the whole thing that wasn’t completely perfect though.

First off, Julian Kostner’s performance as the Music Tapes was probably the best opening act I’ve seen since I witnessed the Antlers almost upstage the National back in 2010. Not only were he and his band excellent, the incorporation of stage props such as his childhood television and especially the seven foot metronome made for just a really really entertaining performance. He also told this really weird story in which Romanian circus performers pull entire European cities out of their mouths? He was like a weird little magic fairy and I’m really sorry I hadn’t bothered to check the Music Tapes out properly before seeing them. Nothing wrong with being pleasantly surprised, though.

Jeff of course, was the true star. He opened his set with “Two-Headed Boy Pt. Two” and I probably don’t even need to explain how hushed and awed the crowd was, or how hearing a song I’m so familiar with as a closer be performed right out the gate did all kinds of things to me emotionally, or how I shivered and exhaled and closed my eyes when Mangum told us that God was a place that we’ll wait for the rest of our lives. Man.

The atmosphere really lightened up after that, though. Perhaps made a little uncomfortable by the audience’s total silence, Mangum told us all that we were free to sing along and that we could even move closer to the stage if we wished. Everyone seemed kind of confused, unsure if this was an actual offer, but as Mangum launched into “Holland, 1945” we all got kind of more relaxed and some people indeed headed towards the stage, actually sitting in the aisles. Being one of the first to take Mangum up on his offer, I was fortunate enough to make my way down the center aisle all the way towards about the second row, awarding myself with a really great view. I have to say this was a first for me; everyone sitting on the floor, legs crossed, singing quietly as we stared up at Jeff… the whole thing was not unlike an intimate campfire sing-along.

It was really amazing to hear all of these songs that I’ve been living with for so long actually performed right in front of me. Aeroplane might be going on fifteen years now but I’ll be damned if each and every song from that album didn’t sound exactly like it did on record. One of the highlights was, of course, “Oh Comely”, which Jeff powered through like a man possessed. Nobody chose to be the guy to yell “Ho-ly SHIT” at the end, but I did get to whisper it to myself, much to my satisfaction. Still more satisfying though was being in a room full of people all declaring their love for “Jesus Christ”. Like me, many if not all had surely done this by themselves, in their rooms, in their cars… but to sing it at the top of your lungs right alongside your musical hero is really something indescribable.

Still, the best moment of the night was undoubtedly the way Jeff closed his main set. “You guys probably all wanna stand up, right?” he asked us. After welcoming us even closer to the stage (I actually got my elbows rested on it, success!) Mangum urged the crowd to sing along to the final song of the set, “Two-Headed Boy”. Everyone got really loud and spirited, much to Jeff’s satisfaction, but things didn’t end there. After “Two-Headed Boy” came to a close, Mangum raised a finger to the crowd, pointing at something behind the bright lights and darkness that we couldn’t quite see. Jeff beckoned something closer, and the Music Tapes emerged into the crowd before everything exploded into the greatest performance of “The Fool” you could ever imagine. Yeah, you heard me, “The Fool” was the best song of the entire show. I might not have really welled up until “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea” ended the night, but in the end it was “The Fool” that proved nobody can pull a rabbit out of a hat quite like Jeff Mangum.

In spite of all this though, what I really loved most is just how… normal he was on stage. He talked a lot with us and seemed really friendly, meeting “We missed you”s with “I missed you too”s and “Record a new album!” with “It’s in my car.” Speaking of that, I couldn’t help but feel embarrassed for whoever ended up being the one to yell that out, as well as a little bit of guilt for every time I’d found myself thinking the same thing. I mean, when a guy records an album like In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (hell, even when he records one like On Avery Island) doesn’t he at least deserve a little peace if he wants it? I doubt anyone who would actually take the time to read this would disagree with me when I say that Aeroplane is a very special album, one that’s been with me many a time when ever I’ve “lost my breath,” so to speak. If Jeff can give us something like that, something special we can turn to when nothing seems to make sense of how we feel, it just feels a little uncool to I dunno, ask him for more. I’m content to just let him do his thing now, whatever that may be, and I’m thankful; not only for all the special music he’s given me, but that I actually got the chance to thank him in person tonight, even if my thank you was shouted along with so many others.

^ could not have said it any better of what my experience was that night. Thank you.