When band leader John Darnielle took the stage last week in Chicago with Peter Hughes on bass and Jon Wurster on drums, they were all wearing swanky grey suits. After a moment of fumbling and tuning, Darnielle grinned mischievously before launching into an excellent performance.
It was a rare sold-out show at Chicago’s Empty Bottle that wasn’t too crowded or too hot. The sound was impeccable and everyone in the crowd had a smile on his or her face that just kept growing. It was the kind of show you wish you had thought to bring everyone you know, fan or not, because they would love it.
The band complimented Darnielle perfectly, never overcrowding the dangerously honest and oftentimes pathetically ironic stories he sings. Every lyric could be heard with perfect clarity. At times, Darnielle would stand on the very edge of the stage, cup his hands around his mouth, and sing without a microphone. Every line could still be caught, and every lyric was worth hearing.
The band performed a new song that Darnielle said was about stepping outside and realizing it’s too cold to leave your house and that you don’t really like anyone anyway. The new song was dark and piercing, with the lyrics “Well, the blood’s in the water and the shark is going to come / and we swim into the dark until our bodies are numb.”
The song swung into a wild frenzy and then slowed back down again. It ended with some intense scratching noises with Darnielle shakily screaming, “I think I’m going to crack / Can’t live like this anymore.” Overall, it was chilling, desperate, and possibly a good indication of what to expect from their 2008 release Heretic’s Pride.
Danceable sing-a-longs like “You or Your Memory,” “Dance Music,” and “See America Right” also highlighted the set. There were three deserved encores, one which included an impromptu punk song and a hilarious, seductive song about being the best house guest.
For the second encore, Darnielle played “California Song.” Toward the end of it, he stood on the edge of stage, with his eyes shut, singing softly, “I got joy, joy, joy in my soul tonight…” He was completely immersed in the moment when someone yelled, “Show us your tits!” Not missing a beat, Darnielle happily obliged, unbuttoning his shirt and blowing the cheering crowd a kiss before leaving the bass player stranded on stage, still playing.
The third encore was the “Best-Ever Death Metal Band out of Denton,” which Darnielle didn’t have to sing because the crowd had taken over. But the biggest highlight was hearing “This Year.” When going through the usual bullshit of life, nothing beats singing, “I am going to make it through this year if it kills me!” at the top of your lungs with 400 other people. It’s liberating.
– Sharyn Goldyn
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