The Decemberists

Colin Meloy stepped out onto an empty stage, acoustic guitar in hand. Bathed in light he alone sang ‘We know, we know, we belong to you,’ and one by one the band joined him as the sound built into a rousing opener.

These vaudevillian troops have drawn influences from the baroque, Appalachian folk, and progressive styles on songs like ‘The Island’ and ‘Caroline Folk’ to the uplifting Radio 6 favourite ‘Make You A Better’. We were divided and conducted in a sing off on ‘Sixteen Military Wives’, then required to shriek on the melodramatic ending of ‘The Mariners’ Revenge’, quickly descending into chaos, ending with all the performers tied up in tape playing dead. Wow!

The Dome, 20 February 2015

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