TWILIGHT AND THE FEARFUL FOREST: PART 1

Here we are, once again. We are on the road. We are chasing that fading dream through the great beyond. Things are different on this adventure than they were on our last excursion: we are no longer in the position of headliner; we no longer have with us our faithful driver/logistical operator, Nuno Geraldes; we are, to some extent, on our own this time around.

That said, we are also in an extremely privileged position in that we are functioning as the opening act on the Decemberists' "Twilight in the Fearful Forest" US tour. Prior to our first two shows in Jersey City, I had a limited overall exposure to this band. My roommate and fellow pro Michael has been obsessed with them for at least a year and a half now, after having seen them at Webster Hall a while back. I remember his reaction to that show vividly. He came home, somewhat snookered, blathering exuberantly about what an amazing group of musicians they were. He talked about the organ player, a woman who wielded a stack of keyboards, organs, percussion instruments, and possessed a mighty stage persona. He described the lead singer as having a beautiful, flowing melodic which flew from the side of his mouth as he strummed a variety of acoustic and electric guitars. He also described the lead guitar player as a jack of all trades, an expert shredder as well as a seasoned player of the "hurdy gurdy," mandolin, and lap-steel guitar. And he talked about the bearded, "normal guy" looking drummer who held it all together. Hearing their first album, I didn't quite get it. But having watched their live show for these first three nights of the tour, I understand the source of Michael's excitement.

Since that concert, the Decemberists have been signed to a major label, and have enjoyed the status of an "it" band in the United States and abroad. As a result, they now represent something in music which provides hope for many of us in the industry: they represent a band who is making the music they want, and is funded in a way which allows them to make a solid living on the road, and by proxy, of album sales. To put it another way, they have maintained their "indie" integrity, while enjoying the fruits of the major label world. They are living the dream.

Another consequence of this band's skill as an ensemble and as individuals is that they draw a crowd which prides itself on being a conscious, respectful, and artfully appreciative audience. We in the Diamond are lucky enough to enjoy this pleasant fact. So far, the crowds have been the biggest I've personally played to, and have been extremely attentive to our music. The first two performances were at the historic Loews theatre in Jersey City, an ornate venue in the style of the old-world with assigned seats, a balcony, and a huge stage. The sound was amazing here, but I've never had worse butterflies before a show. To top it off, we had a short, stressed soundcheck on account of a late load-in and some minor technical difficulties. We overcame these factors for the first night, and played a good show, even though it was only about 30 minutes long. Coming from our tour in Europe where we were the headline act and enjoyed 90 minute sets, this was a weird change. But we've adapted to our role as the small fish to the Decemberists' large whale, and our second show at the Loews proved markedly more confident, energetic, and together.

Today, we did a radio spot for the Boston public radio station, which proved pretty fun. We have a day off tomorrow, and I will head down to the D.C. area early so I can meet my lady's parents. Please wish me luck, and hope that I don't make any cliche Ben Stiller moves. As for the rest of the tour, I don't really know what to expect. The crowds have been great so far, but we're certainly the small fish around here. I will update in the next couple of days, and I will include a couple more pics from SXSW and Europe.