The hipsters were out in force Sunday evening in Berkeley. Newsboy caps, beards, suspenders and quiffs were everywhere. The weather was fantastic and smiles were prevalent at the Greek Theater in Berkeley. A less than sold out show left room to wander and only added to the intimacy and enjoyment of the show.
Perfume Genius (Mike Hadreas) opened the show dressed in fishnets and high heels. His stage presence is fascinating. He undulated and posed provocatively while also occasionally winking and flirting with the crowd. He was pretty serious though, rarely cracking a smile yet singing with a purpose and intensity that was striking. At times he crooned softly and lovely and at others he screamed and whooped with emotion. His stage show is not really meant for a daytime amphitheater setting (they tried with the smoke machine) yet his talent and uniqueness was clearly felt and appreciated.
I was excited about Real Estate. Their 2014 album Atlas was one of my faves last year. The striking thing was just how young these guys are. It doesn't look there is a member over 22 in the band. Their sound is mature however, and the angular lines of guitarist Matt Mondanile's soloing complemented the psychedelic groove nicely. Sweet harmonies rounded out the sound and it was so nice to just sit back and soak it in while the sun set behind the bay.
After dark it was Belle and Sebastian. The were introduced by a steampunk woman on the video screen and proceeded to play a rousing and heartfelt set of songs. Of course, they are all about Stuart Murdoch who danced and bantered and connected with the audience. At one point he sat at the edge of the stage and sang and at another he went out into to the audience to give high fives and hugs. Additionally, they invited 50 pre-selected fans onto the stage to variously dance, cheer and perform rehearsed skits. Near the end of the set, Murdoch invited audience members onto the stage for an impromptu dance party.
They also deviated from their basic setlist to play some of their Bay area-specific songs such as "Piazza, New York Catcher" and "Sukie In The Graveyard" (which Murdoch explained is about a real girl from San Francisco). Apparently, the "real" Sukie came out and danced but my gut tells me it was a professional dancer. Anyway, she did have "A1 body and a face to match".
I was excited about Real Estate. Their 2014 album Atlas was one of my faves last year. The striking thing was just how young these guys are. It doesn't look there is a member over 22 in the band. Their sound is mature however, and the angular lines of guitarist Matt Mondanile's soloing complemented the psychedelic groove nicely. Sweet harmonies rounded out the sound and it was so nice to just sit back and soak it in while the sun set behind the bay.They also deviated from their basic setlist to play some of their Bay area-specific songs such as "Piazza, New York Catcher" and "Sukie In The Graveyard" (which Murdoch explained is about a real girl from San Francisco). Apparently, the "real" Sukie came out and danced but my gut tells me it was a professional dancer. Anyway, she did have "A1 body and a face to match".
