Fiery Furnaces Played Hiro Ballroom

Eleanor Friedberger looks over to her brother Matthew and mouths “you’re playing too fast, “ and then returns to the mic to attempt to finish singing “Single Again,” totally summing up Saturday night’s performance at Hiro Ballroom.

The entire performance had an uncomfortable feel, with the Friedbergers often losing concentration, getting frustrated by the sound, which was, to their credit, never quite right. The intimacy of the small space, and the overall strength of the songs kept it from being a disaster, but it definitely felt like the type of uncomfortable performance that Fiery Furnaces have gained the reputation for having.

The ambitious duo, with backing bassist and drummer, began their set with most new songs from recent release Widow City. They later attacked the hard task of bringing a few of the songs from Rehearsing My Choir to a live audience. The album, which I overheard Matthew Friedberger call “our best album,” acted as a dividing force for their fan base, but was also their most groundbreaking release. This part of the set acted as the highlight, with Eleanor taking all vocal duties (Friedberger’s grandmother contributed much of the vocals on the record). The songs molded together in the form of a medley, and it seemed to be the band’s most comfortable moments during their set.

For an encore, they offered to take requests, which didn’t always work so well. Playing songs they had not rehearsed, they were often sloppy, causing Eleanor obvious frustration. The finale of the set was a combination of “My Dog Was Lost But Now He's Found,” leading into “Single Again.” Matthew and the band played the songs at a much faster tempo than on record, and Eleanor looked lost trying to keep up with her vocals, often voicing her frustration to her brother.

If this is what it’s like every time they perform, then I’d have to recommend seeing them only in small venues, and only if you’re definitely a fan.

Photos courtesy of [Jonny-Leather]