Feist @ Brown Theatre, Louisville (REVIEW & PICTURES)

Last night’s Feist Show was unbelieveable. I had the fortune of seeing Feist at Lollapalooza 2006, and she was just as amazing this time as she was that time, if not much more so. She played a long set of over 20 songs, playing a nice mix of both The Reminder and Let it Die. The show was a reunion of sorts with Feist playing with sometimes bandmate Jason Collett whenever they’re playing together in Broken Social Scene. It’s a small world, isn’t it?

The stage was set with a disco ball that you had to see coming for 1,2,3,4 and a huge color variant screen behind her, but also a smaller portion that was was used for the “shadow show” as Feist called it, though it included a number of elements in addition to shadows. As for Feist herself, you can see she was decked out in her little bohemian ways, including some black tight leggings, which she commented on, and as always looking beautiful with her 1965 red guild starfire. Her stage presence was brilliant, as she spoke with the crowd often. At one point, they addressed a concern for wanting to see what this “hot brown” looked liked. Also, the problem I have in common with every Louisville show, the crowd sat mostly. Addressing that several times she first said “Well thanks for standing for that one…” after My Moon, My Man. Again later, when she was leaving the piano and getting ready to start 1,2,3,4 she said “I’m going to stand for this one, and if we have to stand, everyone should stand”. It’s sort of embarassing how unenthusiastic the crowds are for Louisville concerts. Nevertheless, Feist kept at us, and kept the dialogue up.

She started the show out behind a screen, teasing us with her silhouette. Then she came out on stage and was incredibly interactive with the audience. As she did at Lollapalooza, she performed her song Honey Honey by sampling her own voice singing individual notes, recording it, and looping it back. She did that with three or four different notes, but unlike Lolla she didn’t bring attention to it, though I’m sure everyone noticed it. It allowed her to be her own back-up singer.

I think what is so encouraging to me, is not just that her music was so great, but that a sort of indie folk singer could sell out the Brown Theatre before the day of the show even came. And what’s more…I felt like the only person “of age” there, so its a lot of kids who aren’t listening to the crap on the radio. Who knows…maybe they came for “the iPod song“, but for some reason I doubt it. It’s nice seeing the kids tuned in to what’s out there. Thank God we have WFPK to balance out the other miscellaneous stations. My only last request to the people of Louisville – Act like you enjoy the music you like. If it’s good, stand! dance! clap! sing! enjoy it!

To repeat myself, as its worth repeating, the show was incredible. If you had the opportunity to come and didn’t, you REALLY missed out.

Setlist:

Safe & Secure
When I was a Young Girl
Don’t Call the Preacher
So Sorry
My Moon, My Man
The Park
The Limit to Your Love
I Feel it All
How My Heart Behaves
Honey Honey
Now at Last
Gatekeeper
Brandy Alexander
Inside and Out
The Water
1,2,3,4
Mushaboom

Encore

(I want to be wanted/I need to be needed)
Intuition (solo, then joined by everyone)
Sea Lion Woman
Let it Die

As I’m walking out, I hear a great comment from one friend to another: “If it weren’t for you, I’d have never discovered Feist and my life would be empty”

For PICTURES & COMMENTS as they relate to them,

Feist taking it from behind

Feist’s shadow show was fun to watch, and it wasn’t until later I realized that it was actually live & that a woman in the back corner was actually performing the imagery. It was quirky, but beautifully fitting.

Here, Feist is giving us orders on how to participate a little bit. She had three different sections singing three different notes. I can proudly say she said our side was the clear winner. She told us to use one breath and hold it until we couldn’t, then hand it over to them.

On Screen, the shadow show took a new direction with fingerpainting with something that looked like oil.

Feist told us “Without building this up too much, you’re about to see a miracle.” Of course we had no idea what she was talking about. About a quarter of the way through Now at Last, this girl comes out looking a bit awkward and/or insecure about being on stage, then starts tap dancing like mad…..it was pretty amazing.

I love Feist’s look in the first picture below as she’s giving her a “look at her go” look

this might be the best photo I was able to get. the lighing was difficult, but this one came out beautiful.

Feist said she wasn’t too great on piano, and didn’t really like playing it as much, especially on a box as a seat that was way too big for her, despite making it look easy for her bandmate.

You might be able to guess from the bright colors, but this was 1,2,3,4 and her performance of it live even reminded me of an iPod commercial. It was pretty amazing live.

Feist started this one out solo, but then her boys came up behind her, along with Jason Collett & his band (Jason is hiding on the right) to help sing the words “Did I?” on “Intuition”

because my friends made fun of me for being excited about getting a pass, i thought i’d post it here for you to see

For larger format, you can find all of the pictures on Cory’s Flikr account

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