District hipsters lumbered out of hibernation Sunday night as Grizzly Bear helped the Black Cat tune in to its animal roots. The line stretched nearly a block beyond the door despite the ferociously frigid weather, but the highly praised acts were motivation enough, and for the most part proved well worth the wait.
The first of the two opening acts was Baltimore duo Beach House. The lo-fi melodies and soulfully hollow vocals, as warm and fuzzy as the band's name suggests, got frozen feet tapping and heavy heads bobbing. Using just keyboards, a guitar and drum machine, the duo produced ethereal compositions that were surprisingly layered and complex, belying its minimalist production. Categorically elusive elements of noise, blues, country and classical music wove their way into the sweet soundscapes. Compared to bands that have graced the Black Cat's main stage in the past, the set was low key but nonetheless engaging. The band's set list was derived solely from their 2006 debut, with the hypnotic harmonies of standouts "Tokyo Witch" and "Saltwater" lulling patrons into a languorous love affair with Victoria Legrand's Nico-meets-Carly Simon vocals and Alex Scally's filigree guitar flourishes. Beach House gave Grizzly Bear a run for its headliner status.
Fellow openers Papercuts, faced with a tough act to follow, put forth a valiant effort but the effervescent energy soon fell flat. The San Francisco quartet's set began with the bass and back beat of an off-kilter, trundling pachyderm. The set never got off the ground, and the band's bland material, though keeping with the night's laid-back, dreamy atmosphere, was more insipid than inspiring. As the name alludes, Papercuts were as insignificant, disappointing and painful as the tiny wounds themselves. All songs melded into one lukewarm mess and, boasting twice the membership of Beach House, proved that less really is more.
By the time Grizzly Bear finally took the stage, the youths were getting restless, vying for positions closer to the stage. But wherever one stood, Grizzly Bear's rumbling bass and crooning choral arrangements reverberated throughout, shaking awake anyone Papercuts had put to sleep. Immediately setting itself apart from its predecessors, the band assembled in a row poised on the edge of the stage, bass to drums, guitars, autoharp and keyboard in between. The set opened with "Easier," the first track off "Yellow House," the band's second album, which was released in 2006. While it was not exactly the best start, "Showcase," off 2005's "Horn of Plenty," picked up the pace, as bassist Chris Taylor unleashed his instrument's gut-busting depth for the first, though certainly not the last, time that night.
Throughout its show, the quartet interspersed songs from both albums and played a particularly captivating live version of "Shift." The band's flow during "Lullabye" was seamless, and it answered an eager fan's shouts with "Colorado." However, "Knife," "Yellow House's" third track, was undoubtedly the highlight of the night. Taylor's inhuman, feline moans were so otherworldly that the crowd did a collective double take when it realized Taylor's voice box was the instrument behind it all. At truly great shows, there's always that one moment when the audience and its attention is fixated upon a single point, moving in unison. "Knife" was that moment, all eyes on Taylor's otherwise cherubic moon-face, now contorted to achieve his eerie emanations, expertly juxtaposed with the rest of the band's doo-wop harmonizing.
Despite the dismal Papercuts, the show was nothing short of a religious experience for fans. With such a performance, it's no wonder Grizzly Bear's U.S. tour has been so successful thus far. Most shows have been sold out in advance, including both New York tour dates. The Brooklyn band shows no signs of slowing down and only stands to gain more prominence with time and tours.
