On September 29, 2011 indie-folk harmonies glazed through The Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor Michigan during the live performance of The Fleet Foxes. The Seattle natives’ lyrics oozed with togetherness and sadness while clear and concise voices echoed a calm chaos.
The Fleet Foxes express their ideas and motives through words of togetherness, nature, and life and death. Their lyrics are cryptic in the sense that they are almost too personal to decode the precise situation that inspired the artists to writing the song. However, the words are accessible enough that you can find yourself relating to them at any given moment in time. “So now I am older, Than my Mother and Father were, When they had their daughter, Now what does that say about me?” Along with their organic timbre, The Fleet Foxes often resonant statements regarding nature and the undeniable human connection with the earth. “The world is alive now, in and outside our home. You run through the forest, settle before the sun.” Lastly, The Fleet Foxes are accustomed to shedding light on perhaps the most human part of life – which is death. “Why is life made only for to end? Why do I do all this waiting then? Why this frightened part of me that’s fated to pretend? Why is life made only for to end?” The audience was perfectly attentive as the lead singer, Robin Pecknold, spilled out these vulnerable lyrics. Everyone can relate to the fear of death, of age, the pleasures of the sun, and the unanswered questions to life. The Fleet Foxes not only address these thoughts, but articulate them in an accessible yet challenging style.
The most important elements of the performance were the quality of the voices of the band and the calm excitement that radiated off of the audience. The Fleet Foxes are known for their tenor-like pitches and clear tonality. However, a lesson we have learned from most popular music artists is that a great studio band does not always translate to a great live band. Thankfully, The Fleet Foxes were far from the clichés that we often see at the MTV Video Music Awards. Every member of the band contributed to the heaven-like vocal harmonies with severe control and concentration. Every high scale note was delivered and the tight harmonies were executed cleanly. The audience was fueled by this experience. Even before the band struck the first chord, the fans were giddy. The Fleet Foxes casually walked onto the stage with an (obvious) roar from the audience, but actually, it took them quite a bit of time to get themselves situated. The audience sat in silence for about 30 seconds and one person began clapping. Before you knew it, everyone was cheering for a band that was clearly appreciated. The audience fell silent again (the band was still getting ready) and an energized attendant screamed “YOU’RE MY FAVORITE BAND!!” The audience began to giggle and sure enough - erupted with excitement all over again. And from that moment on, every time the band began to play a song, the audience cheered immediately. It was clear there were many people at the Hill Auditorium that listened to The Fleet Foxes on repeat since they debuted in 2008. During the encore, Pecknold thanked the audience and mentioned, “Thank you so much. This has been one of our favorite shows of all time.” The feeling was irrefutably mutual.
The genre that The Fleet Foxes are most typically classified under is Indie-Folk. Although the definition of “Indie” has become convoluted over the past three years – The Fleet Foxes represent the non-mainstream qualities that are usually found in most Indie artists. Their sound supports traditional qualities of American Folk music with narrative lyrics, serene and catchy melodies, and the use of the piano, guitar, harmonica, and bass. Unlike some Folk artists, such as Dylan, The Fleet Foxes (as mentioned earlier) place a clear focus on their vocals. The vocal qualities are just as important to the story of the songs as the actual words for The Fleet Foxes.
The overall experience was completely exhilarating and relaxing. The undeniable talent and passion of The Fleet Foxes carried through to every person inside the Hill Auditorium.
No comments:
Post a Comment