Okkervil River, Die Registratur Munich, 11/18/08

Our life is not a movie

There was announced one rare date with Okkervil River, and people came crawling like a plague. Although this was one of the seldom evenings we actually arrived at the venue early, we still had to take and defend our places in a massive queue, and when finally the doors opened those people in front of us dispersed like algae on dirty water. The only chance of acutally seeing something was a spot on a sofa at the far other end of the room. Well, the word "seeing" here is a bit of an overstatement.

Luckily there was no supporting band this evening. It really seemed right, to see a pure essence of Okkervil River without any artificial flavour enhancer, who does nothing but try hard to make fans of another band drool and fail at it. It is definitely advisable to turn all your sensors on for Okkervil River anyway, because there is so much there to digest: the slow and silent melancholy bombs presented only by Will Sheff and his guitar, which normally give you goosebumps and leave you a little deranged. The country-esque folk songs that makes everyone dance. The dangerous moves the band members hat to made on a tiny little stage. But also the numerous references you can hear in their songs if you just listen very carefully.

Will Sheff, impressively creative mastermind of the band, stands up there in his black suit and with a fuzzy moptop on his head and looks very much like a young Paul McCartney. The country-driven songs he plays on his accoustic guitar make you think of Johnny Cash. And in bassist Patrick Pestorius's voice lives a small version of Elvis Presley - and voila, you got the three wise men of rock'n'roll sticking on Okkervil River like a button on your front pocket. But unlikely most of other bands they don't seem to promote or show off with these famous references, the don't even seem to be aware of that. That's refreshing and very sympathetic, we have enough posers in this business.

All in all this was a very pleasant evening. The setlist was carefully chosen and kept peoples attention at all times. Little interferences of trumpets, tamburines and maracas made it even more interesting and fun. The fact that a bassist is able to impress with his singing voice more than with his bass play is also a new and welcome thing. As a final topping of the sugarry cake we got a cover of John Lennon's "Jealous Guy": every other band would have probably failed doing so, but Okkervil River did everything just right.

Okkervil River - Jealous Guy

 

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