The Long Winters @ Castle Clinton, 7/31/08

I went to see the Long Winters on the spur of the moment. I knew, of course, that they wer playing a show on the 31st — I knew this even when I bought tickets to see We Are Scientists the same night as well as the next night (tomorrow). I had decided not to go to see the Long Winters (that’s how deep my commitment to “Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt” runs…) largely because I can only recognize seven Long Winters songs out of three albums, and I had actually forgotten that the third album existed.

But then, while glancing through the daily listings in the paper, I learned that (a) the show was free and (b) the actual set started at 7 p.m. I hadn’t been planning to go to the MHOW until 10 p.m., and that was because I wanted to arrive early to hear the full set of Oxford Collapse before We Are Scientists played. So I figured that I could scurry down to Castle Clinton in Battery Park (which, a park ranger informed us, was built for defensive purposes during the War of 1812) and see all things John Roderick. Thus, I went to my first double feature — two concerts, three bands in one night (technically I could have caught Apache Beat opening for We Are Scientists before Oxford Collapse, but I didn’t feel like it).

It turned out to be a great idea, with optimal conditions — I arrived 15 minutes before the show and got a free ticket and sat (sat! There were seats!) in the second row. The air was cool, mostly because we were so close to the water (right next to the Staten Island Ferry) and the sun set during the show. The light was great at the beginning of the show so I managed to take decent photos, though the sun was shining right at the band and they were all wearing sunglasses at the beginning of the show.

The Long Winters have a very distinctive style in their live shows. It’s one part John Darnielle (Mountain Goats) conversationalist and one part We Are Scientists comedy (without the sharp wit). Are they stalling between songs so that they can retune? Yes and no. They’re also amazingly open to song requests — but they played three of my four favorite Long Winters songs (“Blue Diamonds,” “Car Parts,” and “Stupid”) in their regular set anyway. Their shows are very interactive; sometimes people shout things between songs and the band ignores it, but if that happened at a Long Winters show, it would likely engender a response.

Other notes: John Roderick and his band are all very hirsute and bearded in varying degrees. Is this a Pacific Northwest/Seattle/Portland thing? Am I imagining things when I say that I remember when John Roderick used to look somewhat like Ben Gibbard/Colin Meloy (in their bearded phases)?

The band members are all multi-talented as well. The second guitarist played the keyboard on some songs. John played a Yamaha upright piano on a song (or was it two?). On another song, the second guitarist and the bassist switched instruments. It was an interesting balance so that all of the songs had a full sound.

Tonight confirmed that I’m not really a Long Winters fan. They’re a great band in terms of execution, but none of their songs amaze me — but that’s a matter of personal taste. My favorite Long Winters songs would not be anywhere near my top 200 favorite songs of all time (if such a listing existed), but their songs are flawless if somewhat predictable. Nonetheless, I’d still recommend their music to anyone who likes dependable indie rock. They played a solid hour and a half set, with no encore (they don’t believe in encores “because too many bands that don’t deserve them get them” — I think the Shins believe that as well, but I can’t even remember if the Shins did an encore when I saw them in last year).

A good show, all in all. I had — or was the subject of — a “missed connection” on the train afterward, and it was a little unsettling. (Blue-eyed guy in a red Red Sox shirt and jeans who sat across from me on the uptown 4 train and kept looking at me between Bowling Green and Union Square — I’m talking to you.)

Recs: “Car Parts,” “Blue Diamonds,” “Stupid,” “Scent of Lime”