Confetti, A Birthday Cake, and Polyphonic Spree
There are very few bands that couldve gotten me to go out late last night, after a long day at McCarren Pool, but Polyphonic Spree is one of them and they were at Warsaw in Greenpoin. Down to 24 members, from 28, Tim DeLaughter and his Fragile Army unleashed its mighty live show on Brooklyn with as much cheery symphonic-pop force as ever. More like a religious experience than a concert, it all began with John Lennons Gimme Some Truth playing on the speakers, while the lyrics projected onto a large red curtain stretched across the front of the stage. Following the Lennon classic, the sound of a harp began with the shadow of the harp projected against a side wall of the Warsaw. This made for a beautiful image. Moments later, Tim DeLaughter cut through the curtain in front of the stage, and the entire band was revealed, sporting their new militant-style jumpsuits. For the next hour, the feeling in Warsaw was magical, as the band played a variety of songs from each of their albums and even an old Tripping Daisy song. After finishing what they announced as their last song, fans cheered for more, and the band emerged from the back of the venue, sporting their infamous white robes, and all 24 members made their way towards the stage, shaking the hands of their ecstatic fans. The band then played for nearly another hour, throwing in great covers of Nirvanas Lithium, and The Blues Images Ride Captain Ride. Confetti was continuously blasted into the audience throughout the performance, as Tim DeLaughter kept it all going, insisting that theyre not done playing. Finally the night came to a close after a birthday cake was brought out for bass player Mark Pirro, and Pirro entertained fans with long story about Jacques Cousteau, a Gordon Lightfoot song and a missing boat.
Photo courtesy of [Jonny-Leather]