It’s been a whirlwind couple of days for local singer-songwriter Hanako: quitting her job in the Old Port, then invited to open this show at 24 hours’ notice. Still, she doesn’t seem the slightest bit nervous, chatting with the crowd between each slice of her mellow, Mitski-esque minimalist chill. I Will Drive You and Zebra (which has nothing to do with a zebra, apparently) are mellow electric strums; Boy leans more toward finger-picking, but it’s all breezy.
I remember listening to The Fiery Furnaces constantly in the early 2000s, and had honestly assumed they’d disappeared into history, so when tonight’s show was announced, the reaction was something close to disbelief. Chicago siblings Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger have always had a kooky experimental sound, so very little surprises me when it comes to them. Tonight’s show still manages to surprise. The stage setup is minimal: just a keyboard, manned by Matthew, and a mic stand for Eleanor. The Bar Le Ritz stage has never looked so big.
Then there are the songs: medley mash-ups of at least two tracks, sometimes from the same record, sometimes from different ones. Only Evergreen is played straight through from start to finish. With just a keyboard for melody, the sound has something of a cabaret circus vibe, though Eleanor’s crisp, serious vocal and even more serious facial expression makes it feel anything but a joke. One guy in the front row cuts shapes and busts moves throughout the entire set, taking things even more seriously than Eleanor. He’s a motivating heckler too: at one point he declares “your hair looks gorgeous, Matthew!”
Oh Sweet Woods is a gripping narrative, and Eleanor’s crisp delivery means no words are missed; the room is on the edge of its proverbial seats. Wolf Notes is just plain hilarious: “Pick up your tambourine / Your Fisher Price My First Tambourine.” Arctic Monkeys are probably the only other band who could pull off a lyric like that. It’s also the only moment in the set where Matt and Eleanor harmonize, and it sounds wonderful.
Given how infrequently The Fiery Furnaces tour, there are moments where Eleanor forgets a vocal or comes in too early, but it only adds to the charm. In a stripped-down environment like this, it feels like an unplugged improv session rather than a lapse. Set closer Single Again gets a huge chunk of the crowd singing along; no missed vocals this time. An encore of Mosquito and the gorgeous Waiting to Know You brings 75 minutes to a spectacular close. A wonderful return.
Setlist
- Blueberry Boat / Straight Street
- Navy Nurse / Birdie Brain
- I’m Gonna Run / Chris Michaels
- My Egyptian Grammar / Mason City
- Name Game / Spaniolated
- Evergreen
- Oh Sweet Woods / Nevers
- In My Little Thatched Hut / 48-23 22nd Street
- Widow City / Slavin’ Away
- Single Again / Chief Inspector Blancheflower / The Philadelphia Grand Jury
- Wolf Notes / Keep Me in the Dark
Encore
- Mosquito / Waiting to Know You
Review & photos – Simon Williams
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