Belle & Sebastian, Spoon, and Andrew Bird will co-headline a show at Merriweather Post Pavilion on July 30.
Belle & Sebastian and Spoon may seem like unlikely co-headliners; one hails from Scotland while the other takes root in Texas. One prides itself on quirky pop, the other on indie rock. It seems as if the only thing the two bands have in common is that they both recently released their ninth studio album.
Belle & Sebastian makes music that spans the emotional spectrum. Songs like “Dear Catastrophe Waitress” and “Sukie In The Graveyard” are fast and fun, undoubtedly happy songs, while “Piazza, New York Catcher” and “I Want The World To Stop” are full of sorrow. Their music is marked by unusual and unconventional lyrics, matched with almost mystical vocals and instrumentals. The band’s latest album, Girls In Peacetime Want To Dance, takes on a more mainstream approach, especially seen in “The Party Line,” but for the most part they stay true to their origins while jumping into the 21st century.
Spoon’s dramatic rock is rife with recognizable hits. “Do You,” from their 2014 album They Want My Soul, and “The Underdog,” from their 2007 album Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, are both arguably mainstream. But Spoon’s magnificence comes from their ability to constantly sound new and unheard, like a band just discovered in the depths of a record store. This quality comes from their often-cited “experimental” rock, or a quality that keeps each album different.
Andrew Bird, the third headliner, utilizes a variety of different instruments, especially violin, to complement his sound. His folksy, indie vibe is represented best by one sound in particular: his whistles. Bird’s vocal instrument leads him to whistle entire lines and furthers his solo eccentricity. His sweet and soft songs can carry the weight of an entire concert venue, to be seen this coming Sunday.
Belle & Sebastian, Spoon, and Andrew Bird will perform on July 30 at Merriweather Post Pavilion. Ex Hex will be the opener. Tickets can be found here.
