söndag 20 Dec 2009, 23:37

http://www.howsmyliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/AB-1216-012-Edit-215x300.jpg

It’s easy to forget that Andrew Bird’s a classically trained violinist. The sometimes nonsense-lyrics, the eccentric personality, the giant speaker horns that dwarf him on stage, the usage of layers of sound and looping pedals, the fact that his last name is Bird and he whistles – all serve as plenty of conversation fodder when talking about him. People talk about the time he dropped his violin and it snapped in half earlier this year, they talk about the early days of his career, when you could still catch him at the Hideout, they share stories of awkward after-show encounters with him, and, yeah, okay, some people talk about how pretty he is. But what a lot of people don’t talk about is just how good he is on a technical level.

When you strip away the band and the quirky-indie-rock-star image that he’s not even gunning for, when you take away the lyrics and occasional bombast of performance and just let his technique stand for itself, you remember: this man could have easily made a career as a top-notch orchestral musician, sitting on the stage of Symphony Hall and playing with the CSO. Instead, he’s chosen to follow his heart, making music that draws just as much from classical tradition as it does from jazz, folk, or even nature itself. Over the past four nights, even with the looping pedals and the giant speaker horns and the rambling introductions to songs, Bird’s classical heritage was on display more than ever.

See the full review for all four nights.

Mon 14 Dec – Andrew Bird
Tue 15 Dec – Andrew Bird
Tue 15 Dec – Andrew Bird
Wed 16 Dec – Andrew Bird
Wed 16 Dec – Andrew Bird
Thu 17 Dec – Andrew Bird
Thu 17 Dec – Andrew Bird