October 17, 2006
Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR

An enthusiastic crowd greeted The Decemberists at the first stop of their tour promoting their latest album, The Crane Wife. Colin Meloy washed over the room with his distinctive voice, a decidedly high-pitched yet never annoying croon, as he told a story through the opening song, “The Crane Wife 3.” The quality and timing were so perfectly matched to the recorded version it was as if someone had just pressed play. Meloy, dressed in a suit with his trademark glasses, pressed up against the microphone like his message was vital and he couldn’t afford to be pulled away. With Chris Funk playing a variety of instruments, Jenny Conlee mainly on the keyboard, bassist Nate Query alternating between stand-up and electric bass and John Moen cracking out the rhythm on the drums, the band moved seamlessly through the distinctive sections of the first song. 

While the show was not a bust-out-your-dancing-shoes-and-get-ready-to-groove sort of affair, it was satisfying nonetheless. The band played most of the songs from the new album, including a hauntingly beautiful rendition of “Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then),” and the epic soundscape of “The Island: Come and See/The Landlord’s Daughter/You’ll Not Feel the Drowning.” The tune had a clear beginning, middle and end and the different sections of it were so unique they could have supported their own track number. The band also brought out and dusted off some old favorites, such as “Song For Myla Goldberg,” which the band slowed down a bit for the show, lending to it an increased sense of integrity.

Throughout the show the crowd remained enthusiastic, but toward the end people retreated with weary feet and tired necks, opening up the floor considerably.

As a finale, playing “The Crane Wife 1 and 2,” Meloy came onto stage by himself and provided a miniature study of The Decemberists. The song began humbly, simply his voice and some strings. Slowly the other members of the band joined him on stage, bringing in violin and layering on bass and drums until the song had grown into something it was not before. Suddenly the soft ballad had turned into something that coaxed heads to nod and feet to move. Then slowly the band lowered the sound into a softer melody, stripping itself down and revealing its own process of growth. They showed their complete control of their sound by bringing it back to a faster pace, different and unique from before. It was clear then more than ever that the Decemberists are the literature in a music industry full of tabloids.

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