On Thursday night Wild Beasts played a free show at Pier 84 for the first of Hudson River Park’s River Rocks free concert series. The weather was as perfect as one could hope for for an outdoor show, setting the tone for a wonderful night of music.
Considering it was a free show, getting an opening set from Mutual Benefit in addition to Wild Beasts was a treat. Their gentle orchestrated blend of folk-rock was ideal for the setting of Pier 84, with the winds of the Hudson River keeping us cool. Mutual Benefit’s brainchild Jordan Lee always delivers witty dry-humor that can get lost on unsuspecting members of the crowd, but for those who have seen the band before, we are used to his sense of humor by now. Even so, the music comes first, and getting to hear elegant tracks such as “Golden Wake” and “Advanced Falconry” just as the sun started to set was more than ideal.
As of right now, I’m hard pressed to name anything other than Wild Beasts latest album Present Tense as my favorite record of 2014 so far. It just has everything going for it. From start to finish, there isn’t a weak track. Every listen brings a new discovery, a new sound or detail that was previously lost on me. Their show at Music Hall of Williamsburg earlier in the year was just when the album was released. This time around I was much more familiar with the material, and ready to take it in completely.
From the opening flourishes of the divine “Mecca” to the always grand “Reach A Bit Further”, the bar was set high from the get-go. No matter how many times I see these guys, the vocal work of Hayden Thorpe and Tom Fleming continues to stop me dead in my tracks. This is especially true on softer moments such as “A Dog’s Life” or “Daughters” that take time to build, acting as showcase for their incredible vocal talents to shine. As awesome as it is to hear Present Tense offerings such as “A Sample Beautiful Truth” and “Wanderlust”, it brings me great joy that the band still work in material from their past into their set. “The Devil’s Crayon” is always a welcome boost of guitar-led energy, considering how electronic-heavy their new material is. Who can possibly argue with the band playing “Hooting & Howling”, “This Is Our Lot” and “All The King’s Men” live?
It’s even amazing to me that Wild Beasts are still able to play free shows in New York City without chaos unfolding. With a solid consistent run of quality albums, a part of me thinks that the band deserves the sort of popularity that wouldn’t even allow them to consider doing a show for free. Thus, Wild Beasts remain one of the most underrated acts going right now, as they have emerged as one of my current favorites. Free or not, go see this band, right now.
Below, I’ve shared the setlist, photos of both Wild Beasts and Mutual Benefit, and their music video for “Mecca.”
“Mecca”:
1. Mecca
2. Reach a Bit Further
3. Sweet Spot
4. The Devil’s Crayon
5. Pregnant Pause
6. A Simple Beautiful Truth
7. Daughters
8. Hooting & Howling
9. This Is Our Lot
10. Palace
11. Nature Boy
12. Bed of Nails
13. A Dog’s Life
Encore:
14. Wanderlust
15. All the King’s Men
16. Lion’s Share
Wild Beasts:
Mutual Benefit:
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