Travelers’ Rest Day 2 – The Decemberists Give Exquisite Full Performance of ‘The Crane Wife’

Jenny Conlee performs “The Crane Wife” with The Decemberists at Travelers’ Rest.

There’s something transformative about hearing a band perform an entire album live.

It’s a slightly different interpretation than what’s heard on a turntable, in the car or through a phone.

Some songs become livelier, longer and more emotive while others take on a new identity for fans.

That’s what hit me Sunday night at Travelers’ Rest.

I started photographing The Decemberists when the opening chords of “The Crane Wife 3” rang out from the stage in front of me.

While I tried to concentrate on my shots, I heard the crowd roar with contagious excitement and turned around the see a long line of fans jumping up and down at the barricade at Big Sky Brewing Company in Missoula, Mont. In that moment, I connected with their energy and enthusiasm.

That energy and enthusiasm stemmed from the Portland, Ore., indie rock band’s special performance of their 2006 concept album, “The Crane Wife.”

A special musical treat for those of us who love The Decemberists and cherish the opportunity to hear an entire album front to back LIVE.

In “The Crane Wife,” the album’s storyline focuses on an old Japanese folktale of a poor man who finds an injured crane on his doorstep and nurses it back to health. Once the crane is released, a woman appears on the man’s doorstep, and he instantly falls for her. They quickly marry.

The woman offers to weave beautiful clothes out of silk to help earn money for the couple. At first, the man agrees to never watch his wife make clothes, but forces her weave more as their income grows and becomes oblivious to her declining health.

With a growing income, the man’s greed increases, and one fateful day, he catches a glimpse of her weaving and discovers his wife is an actual crane plucking feathers from her own body and weaving them into the loom. She sees him, flies away and never returns.

“This is only the second time we’ve done one of these full albums through other than ‘Hazards of Love,’ or ‘The Tain,’” said Colin Meloy, frontman for The Decemberists. “I never know whether just to not talk through it just to give you the full album experience or just to ruin the whole experience would be chattering in between, so I’m obviously doing both and neither.”

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Travelers’ Rest — The Decemberists Host 2-Day Music Festival in Missoula, Mont.

Colin Meloy performs with The Decemberists during the “Your Girl/Your Ghost” tour at Ann Arbor’s Hill Auditorium in May. My friend Rachel provides cowbell support.

Nine years ago, I put in a copy of “The Hazards of Love” by The Decemberists in my Volkswagen Beetle’s five-disc CD changer and raised an eyebrow.

It wasn’t quite what I expected.

After listening to the entire album, I looked over at Brian and shook my head.

He replied to me, “This isn’t our style.”

At that time, we weren’t focused on rock operas and concept albums. We were the curmudgeons of pop, classic rock and power metal.

The Decemberists’ 2009 rock opera album pushed us out of our comfort zones musically, courtesy of my brother Steve. He included the album in a care package of music to hear before attending Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza.

The album’s storyline centers on a woman named Margaret who falls in love with a forest dweller named William. Throughout the album, William’s mother and a villain named the Rake bring conflict to the story.

Back then, “Hazards” was one of the first concept albums I had ever heard. While I didn’t appreciate it at the time, I sure do today.

I greatly appreciate the album and The Decemberists because they’re part of a special group of artists and music that inspired my initial love of concertgoing, vinyl and CD collecting, musical festival-ing (I know, it’s not a real word) and blogging.

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Eaux Claires Day 2 Celebrates Music of Wilco, Paul Simon

Jeff Tweedy performs with Wilco at Eaux Claires.

Eaux Claires attendees battled intermittent heavy showers and the looming threat of severe weather to see Wilco, Paul Simon, Feist and other artists at day 2 of Eaux Claires.

Wilco played for nearly two hours despite Eaux Claires organizers moving the band’s set up in anticipation of severe thunderstorms. Main stage artists continued to perform while side stage acts were cancelled.

The distant lightning served as the perfect backdrop for one of Wilco’s most ominous songs, “Via Chicago,” which starts with a dark lyric, “I dreamed about killing you against last night.”

“We’re usually playing outside when it’s sunny, and this song really bums people out, but this is f**king perfect,” said Jeff Tweedy, Wilco’s frontman, regarding “Via Chicago,” from the band’s 1999 album, “Summerteeth.”

Wilco guitarist Nels Cline played an exquisite extended guitar solo during “Impossible Germany,” while fans relished singing along with the band to “Jesus, Etc.” and “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart.”

Before Wilco took the stage as the night’s headliner, Paul Simon played a 60-minute set with yMusic, a New York City-based chamber ensemble.

Paul Simon reimagines Simon & Garfunkel classics with yMusic.

Together, Simon and yMusic put a refreshing classical spin on “America,” “Mrs. Robinson,” The Boxer” and “Sound of Silence.” Their show was worth the wait after heavy rains delayed Simon and yMusic’s new set time by about 30 minutes.

“It’s really a good omen when the crowd is wet and shivering, but the performers are dry,” Simon said to a drenched Eaux Claires crowd.

Before Simon took the stage, Feist played her new album, “Pleasure,” in its entirety for festival attendees earlier that evening. Wearing a bright pink dress with ruffles and strumming her guitar in front of an electronic fan, Feist made her live performance a pleasurable one for fans.

“For two years now, I’ve heard about you guys, and so today, we would like to do something special just for us to share this moment together in honor of these incredible clouds,” Feist said.

In the afternoon, attendees danced to the party rap and club music of Baltimore-based Spank Rock, who traded jabs on stage with Amanda Blank and opened and closed his set with the Midnite Express, a Native American musical troupe.

Other day 2 festival highlights included Appalachian-style folk music from Mountain Man, which features Sylvan Esso’s Amelia Meath, Molly Sarle and Alexandra Sauser-Monnig, and the indie pop of Perfume Genius.

Eaux Claires Day 1 Shines with Tributes, Headliners and Side Projects

Justin Vernon, left, and Phil Cook pay tribute to John Prine at Eaux Claires.

A heavy summer rain pelted Eaux Claires festival goers Friday evening as they watched Justin Vernon pay tribute to country/folk singer-songwriter John Prine.

Vernon, festival co-curator and frontman of Bon Iver, led a “Great American Songbook” a 90-minute set featuring Phil Cook, The Staves and other Artists-In-Residence and didn’t let it dampen the mood in Eau Claire, Wis.

“On a personal note, there is no more important music to me or my family than the music of Mr. John Prine,” he said. “He’s the greatest teacher I ever had, and I only met the man yesterday, but this is all for him.”

Prine joined Vernon and the others toward the end of the set and played “Hello in There” as well as few other favorites.

Outside of the Prine tribute, attendees watched Chance the Rapper give an energetic, danceable performance as the night’s headliner. “This festival is not like any other festival,” said the Grammy-winning artist.

A performance highlight included a collaboration between Chance the Rapper and Francis & The Lights called “May I Have This Dance,” which sounds like it was inspired by Peter Gabriel.

Friday also served as Wilco side project day with The Autumn Defense, Tweedy, Cup and S. Carey and Glenn Kotche.

Comprised of Wilco bassist John Stirratt and multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone, the duo performed at a new Eaux Claires stage called Oxbeaux situated in the surrounding woods. The Autumn Defense played a haunting acoustic cover of the Bob Welch and Fleetwood Mac classic, “Sentimental Lady.”

Later in the day, Jeff Tweedy and his son, Spencer Tweedy, played the Tweedy favorite, “Summer Noon,” on the Flambeaux stage, while Wilco guitarist Nels Cline and his wife, Yuka Honda, performed their ambient music as Cup at the intimate Sparreaux stage.

At nightfall, attendees grooved on the lawn to Durham, N.C.-based indie pop duo Sylvan Esso, who drew their energy from the wet, but enthusiastic crowd. Songs like “Coffee,” “Hey Mami,” “Die Young” and “Radio” were crowd favorites as Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn performed their 60-minute set.

“Thank you for buying a ticket to one of the only festivals that’s a true celebration of music,” Sanborn said.