w/ M. Ward, Statistics

[review]

First of all, I really liked the Echo Lounge, it was smoky, and really hot, but it was also really small, and intimate, and I could see really well. So anyway, If anyone was there I was the kid with a beard with the kid wearing the N'Sync shirt... he got some strange looks for that, but I thought it was great. So anyway, back to the show. After the Statistics finally came on... Wow were they incredible. I had only heard the EP once, but I think they played all the songs on it and a couple more I think. I wanted to buy the EP after the set, but I had already spent my money on the Rilo Kiley comic strip T-shirt. But Denver and his crew put on a fine show. Then forty five minutes later (sigh) M. Ward took the stage with Rilo Kiley, and while the long wait for setup was annoying, it was still kind of entertaining to watch them set up... A lot of us in the front left corner sat down though. I really had no idea what to expect form M. Ward, and again I was blown away. He is an excellent guitarist, and Rilo Kiley did a good job backing him up. That whole set was really solid, and they all seemed exceptionally on their game that night. I think the highlights of his set were songs that I think were called "Sad Sad Song" and "Flaming Heart." "Flaming Heart" was one of the best performances of the whole damn show, it was intense. And it just seemed that the energy they were letting out on stage was flying out into the people audience and it was just an amazing feeling, it was some sort of musical high. The drummer for Rilo Kiley did some nice work on that song as well. At the end of M. Ward's set, Rilo Kiley left the stage, and the sound guys brought the house music up, and Blake got on the microphone and said "hey he's playing one more song... turn it off man" and then M. Ward played his last song solo.. yet again showing us how incredible a performer he is. Then we had another thirty/forty-five minute wait (which I really didn't understand because they had already set their instruments up to play with M. Ward but apparently it had something to do with a Huddle House in South Carolina and them being late). ANyway when Rilo Kiley finally took the stage, it began with just Jenny and Blake singing It's a Hit (a.k.a. Holiday for a Hanging) which is an excellent new song that can be d/l off of Rilokiley.net. Then the other guys came out and they made some ambient noise that led straight into the first half of Always, which was a surprise, and a lot of fun to hear. From here, I'm not absolutely confident about the order of the setlist, but I know they played The execution of all things, Pain'ts Peeling, The good that won't come out, Capturing Moods, A Better Son/Daughter (a highlight for me), Hail to.... which they called an annoying endless song (a statement which none of us in the audience seemed to agree with)They did My Slumbering Heart, with arms outstretched, and both versions of Spectacular Views, along with two new songs, one of which was Room 8 and M. Ward came out and played on it. Blake had just started playing the opening chords of Better Son/Daughter when Jenny interrupted him and said to wait on that, then she called Matt onto the stage, and they did Room 8, which was a lot of fun. They also did Pictures of Success, which is a favorite of mine so I was happy to hear that. Blake did another song, that I hadn't heard before. I wish I could remember the order they did everything, but alas I can't, so I can't even tell you what the encore songs were. But it was an amazing night, and probably one of the best shows I've ever been to. If you haven't seen Rilo Kiley live, you really need to next time you get an opportunity. Actually, all three of these bands are more than worth seeing. Oh and one more amusing anecdote, these kids in the audience kept yelling for The Frug (as happens at most show so I hear) and Jenny finally said "listen, we had a different drummer then and jason doesn't know the song so we can't ever play it again" and then Jason got a confused look on his face and said, I can play that song, and he started mimicking the claps with his drumsticks for a few seconds then they went into the next song. Then a girl started yelling for Glendora, and Jenny just said "guys, c'mon" and rolled her eyes and laughed.

-Seth