Last Thursday at the Fillmore Auditorium, Fleet Foxes played a show that while short on surprise and stage theatrics, was big on scope and sentiment. With their new album Helplessness Blues reaching number two in the country and with gigs at the Pitchfork and All Tomorrow’s Parties musical festivals, Fleet Foxes have laid claim to their indie Dukedom. Within the Fillmore, which is equal parts high school gym, roller rink, and Victorian ballroom, over three thousand of their loyal hipster serfs gathered to partake in the truly unmistakable sonics of Fleet Foxes.
The band ambled softly out of the gate with the yawning and stretching “Cascades.” A gorgeous instrumental, “Cascades” is one of their canons more potent shots of the Pine and pining vibe they have patented. The song melted the Fillmore into a forest and gently set the mood. They then launched into the energetic trifecta of “Grown Ocean,” “Drops in the River,” and “Battery Kinzie.” Again and again throughout the concert, Fleet Foxes showed performance prowess in not just technical proficiency, which from their tightly thatched harmonies to their pinpoint plucking was astounding, but even more so with their precisely sequenced set list. The mixture of the material’s tempo, release date, and emotion displayed their seasoning and truly allowed their catalogue and the concert itself to shine.
Lead singer Robin Pecknold was by far the most expressive and explicitly enthusiastic of the band members. Even so a palpable energy still emanated from the group’s restrained fervor. I was particularly taken by Fleet Foxes’ rhythm section which frequently hides within the band’s pastoral instrumental swirl. The bounce they provided to cuts “Mykonos” and “Grown Ocean” embossed new aspects of the songs and many times even bordered on poly-rhythmic afro-pop beats. Drummer J. Tillman and bassist Christian Wargo additionally shouldered the bulk of the vocal harmonic lifting of Pecknold’s voice. Both Casey Westcott and Morgan Henderson impressed with their stints playing multiple instruments. Together they filled the biggest roles in bringing the new sounds from the group’s latest album to the stage. While the live setting really allowed the chromatic and melodic lines of lead guitarist and founding member, Skyler Skjelset, to come to life, it should come as no surprise that the star of the show was the 25 year old Pecknold. The audience swooned for the unassuming and golden-throated frontman who seemed like he could be just as mesmerizing backed by only a guitar and a campfire.
Alela Diane & Wild Divine, the opener, it should be noted was as solid as they come. Seemingly picked out of some remote Montana dive bar, Alela and company congruously added to the Fleet Foxes show, while never threatening to upstage and/or show-up the headliners.
Even though I expected more out of favorites like “White Winter Hymnal” and “Montezuma,” one could hardly complain as the band closed out their encore and the night with album-title track “Helplessness Blues;” achieving a mixture of ruggedness and cleanliness as only Fleet Foxes can.
