Look Beneath The Floorboards For The Secrets I Have Hid

Went to see Sufjan Stevens play Saturday night at St. Andrews Wesley Church. When we got to the venue, there was a huge lineup that apparently wrapped around the church. It was also pretty cold that night. We found a way to avoid the lineup and got inside quickly, settling into our seats (amongst the pews) for the evening.

It was my first time seeing a music show like this inside a church. The lighting was pretty budget and we had reservations on whether the sound system would hold up for the performance..... in the end, the venue acoustics were great and everything worked out fantastic.

My Brightest Diamond opened the show. Shara Worden was accompanied by a few of Sufjan's string players onstage. Shara also plays in Sufjan's orchestra, doing backing vocals, guitar, xylophone and other instruments for his set...so she's basically pulling double duty on this tour.

The thing that stood out most during Shara's set was by far her soaring vocals. Her range is so vast and definitely strong enough to do opera. My Brightest Diamond played a 45min set that drew from her release, Bring Me The Workhorse. She also threw in a Nina Simone cover.

Sufjan Stevens and his 14 piece orchestra came onstage and opened with an extended intro that later transitioned into Sister. Stevens came out wearing these large wings on his back that made him resemble one of his new songs that he would play, the Majesty Snowbird. His orchestra came out decked in what looked like butterfly wings. Everyone also stepped onstage wearing masks.



One of our friends is currently playing trombone in Sufjan's orchestra, touring with him across the States and soon throughout Europe. We discussed his travels and he mentioned to us that for every stop on the tour, 5 of the 14 member orchestra are locals hired to play that one show. This helps to cut down some travel expenses for the crew, especially when you're traveling for a few months over thousands of miles.

Sufjan's set included many songs off the Seven Swans album, along with some selections from Illinois, one from Michigan, one off a soon to be released Christmas album, and one new song. What really made the night was that the music was epic, and the song endings were completely haunting at times. Seeing the emotion on everyone's face as they played, and how each musician was affected by the music being presented just magnified everything.



The Detroit native also took the time to share with the audience a few stories. He mentioned the time when his parents would cut out National Geographic pictures and hang them on the wall during the middle of the night. He could literally hear the hammering of the nails into the wall as he tried to sleep. Sufjan also told us the summer camp story of him and a boy named Franco and how they came upon a predatory wasp.

Everyone gave Sufjan and his orchestra a nice standing ovation as he left the stage after Chicago to close off the main set. People then started to bang loudly with their hands crashing on the pews as we waited for an encore. The atmosphere in the place was electric and the appreciation for the music was off the charts...all this happening while considering we were inside a church. Sufjan came back onstage with a few members of his orchestra (everyone with their wings removed), to close off the night with The Dress Looks Nice On You.

Highlights for me during the 1hr 45min set included Transfiguration, The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades..., John Wayne Gacy Jr., Jacksonville, and Majesty Snowbird.

Overall, an excellent show and an absolutely wonderful evening.



Notes:
-Worst Agatha Christie Novel Ever! on the setlist = That Was The Worst Christmas Ever!
-Dress Looks Nicey Nicey Nick Lachey on the setlist = The Dress Looks Nice On You
-Casimir Pulaski and others listed below it were not played as we had already reached the 11pm sound curfew for the venue.