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A bill doesn’t get much better than the Polyphonic Spree and the Octopus Project, but unfortunately they were playing at the same time on Emo’s two stages. But bouncing back and forth proved a worthwhile, if somewhat bewildering, experience. The Spree came out full force in their new regimented regalia,
with Tim DeLaughter still wearing his turquoise robe underneath the military jacket. And what ensued was one of the best Spree shows I’ve seen yet with two full sets!
The Spree built up to crescendo slowly, but as they launched into their second song, “Hanging Around the Day,” confetti cannons were blasting from either side of the stage and DeLaughter was perched atop the amps and swinging out from the rafters.
In fact, DeLaughter spent as much of the show hovering over the top of the crowd as he did on the actual stage.
They seemed to hit a lot of new songs from their upcoming album The Fragile Army, and the sound was certainly a lot more forceful than their usual jubilant choruses. Although still distinctly Spree-ish, it seemed a much more rocking show and the crowd was jumping up and down with fists pumping through most of it. At times, DeLaughter’s singing and the bands backing held the feel of a musical, the symphonic pop of their earlier shows seeming much tighter and more honed. In fact, I’ve never thought it a far stretch,
given the Spree’s rock-opera (and of course cultish) sensibilities, that DeLaughter often seems to personify a “Tommy” incarnate.
Among the highlights of the first set were “Everything Starts at the Seam” and “When the Fool Becomes the King” from Together We’re Heavy. With horns blaring, the chorus dancing and a drummer bounding around the stage, it’s amazing the band, or crowd for that matter, held up so well under the sweltering heat. And with approximately 24 members brought along for the show, the Spree had every nook and cranny of the outside stage packed, some even crammed in the back corners behind the speakers. And the group ended the first set with some amazing piano work by Evan Jacobs, lately of Tacks, the Boy Disaster.
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Jumping inside between sets to catch some of the Octupus Project, the band set up the stage with their usual assortment of tricks, including a screen that displayed projections ranging from psychedelic cartoons to down-right eerie and gruesome images. They threw “Spiracle” into the mix, a track from their upcoming split release with Black Moth Super Rainbow, and proceeded to flail with their guitars around stage while Yvonne’s hair and smile remained amazingly static throughout the set.
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The Spree, meanwhile, made their way back to the outside stage by marching through the crowd. We’re still not exactly sure how they got around the entire building without anyone really noticing. But they returned with their more familiar robes and proceeded to give the lovingly overwhelmed fans another dose. The peak was definitely the cover of Nirvana’s “Lithium” off of their latest EP Wait. At one point a member of the group jumped into the audience and crowd-surfed towards the back, grabbing on to the rafters and pulling down a light cord that sent sparks flying over the heads of the ecstatic fans. They polished it off
with “Light and Day/Reach for the Sun,” thrusting their instruments into the crowd – a trombone got mauled while folks pounded away the cymbals. Finally, to bring the energy back down, they played a soft instrumental number while everyone on stage, and in the crowd, took a seat. A magnificent end to a glorious evening.
