I saw the New Pornographers last night at the Warfield. I don't like buying advance tickets to weeknight shows anymore, since I'm usually not sure until the last minute if I'll have the energy to make it out and stay up late, which is the main reason I don't go to as many shows as I used to. One nice thing about being a loner who doesn't have any friends (at least any friends who still go to rock shows on a Monday night) is that there are almost always single tickets available outside the door for less than face value.
I from a balcony ticket for $10 (one third of face value) that turned out to be the best balcony seats in the venue -- Lower Loge, Section 108, Center stage, right by the soundboard. And got to sit next to the nice lady I purchased the ticket from who's "friend" bailed on her, probably because he or she didn't feel like going out to a Monday night show. It was just like the first verse of "Bus Stop" by The Hollies, except in this version, that's the way the whole thing started and the way it ended.
I never liked the Warfield balcony in my younger days, but as I've grown older I've come to appreciate being able to sit in a comfortable chair and watch a show without having to stand and deal with drunks and moshers for three hours. For cross-generational shows like the New Pornographers or the Decemberists, the balcony draws an older crowd who are there for the show, instead of to hang out, so there is more watching and listening and less chattering and text-messaging, except between sets.
The main downside of the balcony is that you aren't allowed to drink, which prevents you from buying a drink for the nice lady that sold you her extra ticket for less than face value. But the Warfield charges $6 for beer and well drinks, so there's a big upside to making it less convenient.
Oh yeah, the show! The Pornographers are touring with their full slate of members, including both Neko Case and Dan Bejar. I'd never seen the NPs with Bejar and have never seen Destroyer, so I didn't even know what he looked like, and for the first couple of songs I was wondering who invited Devandra Banhart onstage. With Dan and Neko, there were eight band members onstage, enough for a four-on-four curling competition. Bejar slunked off to the side of the stage when he wasn't singing, but they played most of his tunes, which I think are some of the highlights of their last two albums. Dan was a nice addition to the live band.
The last time I saw the Pornographers was without Neko, so I should mention that they're a whole lot better with her than without her. Nobody sings Neko's parts like Neko! They played most of the new songs from Challengers early on, and saved the heavy artillery of "The Laws Have Changed" and "Letter From An Occupant" for the encores. One of the best things about shows at the Warfield is that even with three bands on the bill, the shows always end by midnight, so there's no need to worry about missing the last BART train.
The two opening bands were Fancey (side project of New Pornographers guitarist Todd Fancey) and Lavender Diamond. Fancey were kind of 70s AM radio pop, not much like the NPs. Todds's voice sounds a bit like Nilsson's, which he's probably heard before since Fancey's latest album is called Schmancey (Fancey Schmancey, get it?). I can take or leave Lavender Diamond (and given the choice, would prefer to leave them), but lead lady Becky Stark has nearly enough stage presence to make up for her Joanna Newsomesque singing voice. I would have preferred another NPs related act (Immaculate Machines or Destroyer or hey, how about Neko?) but Lavender Diamond were better than I thought they'd be.
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