Happy New Year! And a massive big blogging man-thanks to anyone that reads or has read this blog EVER so far...thank you.
My next waffle (rather than the usual movie ramblings) happens to be on the saucy folk outfit the Fleet Foxes, who kindly dropped in to smash out a few shows at The Sydney Opera House. The Foxes were down under tinkling their way through the ‘The Falls’ festival in both Victoria & Tasmania http://2011.fallsfestival.com.au/lineup/ which I’ve yet to indulge in, but what looks to be a smashing festival.
Fleet Foxes over the years have become what appears to be a bit of a sensation. From seeing them at the Camden Round House 3 years ago - where my girlfriend kindly pointed out that they must be getting big because Stella McCartney’s boyfriend is in the crowd. And along with the big (then) Radio One DJ Jo Whiley wanking on about them on a regular basis, they had certainly become hot property in the UK - and now it appears well and truly abroad. So for me a first timer to their shows all those years ago it wasn’t hard to see why! The superb musicianship, the fantastic vocal harmonies and just the shire impact of their songs really had me hopping and skipping out of Camden thinking, "I need to pick up my guitar again and start writing me some crap songs!"
Fast forward 3 years and I must admit I had lost a bit of enthusiasm. The second album, although not totally shit, had left me feeling a little flat compared to the EP and their first album, which I’d listened to constantly when it first landed. However a chance to see them at the Opera House didn’t dissatisfy my musical taste buds. These guys truly are a live band and although we were seated, which just didn’t seem right initially, I still quite happily sat there and moved my knee and head around like some retiree for the 90 plus minutes they played.
The crowd really loved these guys, cheering and applauding heavily after every song as they ploughed through corkers such as Mykonos, Sun Giant, Helplessness Blues , Shrine / The Arguement as well as hundreds more strange song titles. They were bloody tight and delivered a powerful performance, with main song writer/ lead singer Robin Pecknold again providing the audience with the most impressive musical hand-shandies.
Not all will enjoy the Foxes tuneful woes I'll admit; some will find them even a little self indulgent. But you cannot deny they are a talented bunch with some splendid genius thrown in. I certainly came out of this show feeling a little ripe and ready to write some crap guitar songs again!
A solid show though in a folk fucking fantastic setting- 8 Northern 'Musical' Thumbs out of 10.
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