After a six-year hiatus from the road, The Decemberists kicked off their “A Peaceable Kingdom” North American 2024 tour at UPAC on Tuesday, April 30. The band is out touring in support of the soon-to-be-released album As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again. The night’s performance reassured the sold-out house that the band had not lost a step after a six year absence.
Drawing from lead singer/songwriter Colin Meloy’s college days at Oregon State as an English and theatre major, the show’s structure offered up the feeling of a three-act rock opera.
Act one: a subtly lit stage. Meloy enters from stage right, acoustic guitar in hand. Taking his position center stage, Colin performs “Red Right Ankle” from Her Majesty the Decemberists. One by one, the additional band members make their way to the stage, collectively performing three more songs including the debut of “All I Want Is You.”
Act two: the stage is fully illuminated and the band plugs in, diving headfirst into the music. While showcasing tracks from their latest album, The Decemberists did not disappoint longtime fans playing favorites from their twenty-plus year career, including “Make You Better,” “Sucker’s Prayer,” and engaging in a sing-along during “16 Military Wives.”
Act three: the encore. Pushing nineteen minutes on the new album, “Joan in the Garden” closed the night out. With the feeling of a prog-rock styled anthem, The Decemberists took their fans on a musical journey, moving through multiple states of intensity, culminating with an explosion of white light encompassing the entire room as the song concluded.
A bonus for the night was the Chicago-based band Ratboys. Their indie-pop drive proved to be the perfect opening act. A four-piece group, fronted by singer-songwriter Julie Steiner, garnered praise from the crowd as their set progressed.
The tour continues through the spring and summer, closing in The Decemberists’ hometown of Portland, Oregon, on August 3, with Ratboys opening most dates.
The Decemberists
Ratboys
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