Decemberists: Summerstage

I heart the Decemberists. I think they are one of the few bands that can get a crowd of New Yorkers to act like an angry whale. Not to mention successfully encouraging them to sit down in the middle of a set and pretend they are asleep.

The show last night was great: they opened (appropriately) with July July and closed with an awesome version of The Mariner, which included humorous enactments from the band while the crowd bellowed like a whale. Awesome.

I was a little apprehensive about going to the show, I'll admit. The only other time I've seen them was in a tiny venue in I-Town and I was concerned that they wouldn't be able to pull off the same intensity at a larger venue. But I am pleased to admit that I was wrong: the band managed to be simultaneously energetic and intimate, despite the larger space. AND the surrounding trees of Central Park combined with the amazing weather were like icing on the cake.

**Many thanks to tixgirl on flickr for this great picture of last night's show: it is practically the exact view that I had of the stage myself. You can see more of her pictures here.