Just bought tickets to see the New Pornographers in June! I saw them a few years ago and they were awesome, but Neko Case wasn't with them. This time, the whole line-up is touring. Hooray!
Awesome, I saw them back in 2007. It was an interesting experience because I hadn't really listened to them at the time (went with a friend) and while I was at the concert I was like "I can't wait to go home and listen to the CD," which isn't to disrespect the live performance which in hindsight was really great, but a comment on the fact that knowing the material aids in the appreciation and I wanted to know it better so I could appreciate it better.
Hmm. Yeah, I saw them at Pitchfork last year. And, granted, a festival concert is way different than a regular show, but it was really kind of a mess. The whole band was there, including Dan Bejar, who came over straight after doing a Destroyer show (that I also watched). Basically, Carl had to spend the whole time trying to keep Dan on stage, and, when Dan was on stage, he was drinking beers while singing, and not really making much of an effort. I guess that's what happens when you make your albums by compiling tracks from across the continent, and you don't practice together. Anyway, I still love Electric Version and Twin Cinema.
I've seen them 3 times now and somehow never with Neko.
I forgot I posted here, so now I must respond.
When I saw them a few years ago, I hadn't listened to them much, but my girlfriend was a huge fan. Now I love all four of their albums (Twin Cinema is my least favorite actually).
They didn't have Neko there, but she was replaced by A.C.'s niece Kathryn Calder from Immaculate Machine (which is a band I now love too) and she was still quite good. The thing that impressed me most was that it felt like a genuine experience rather than something I could just watch on a DVD. The band didn't seem to have a set list, they just played whatever they wanted. Heck, for their encore they came back on and asked the audience to request one of their songs. Some guy shouted out a song title and A.C. said they couldn't do it live because it had too many studio effects and whatnot, but then the guy held up a 20 dollar bill and yelled "20 bucks says you can!". A.C. dismissed him and was like "Why the hell am I even talking to you?" and played something else.
He also dedicated a song to a guy in the audience because he was wearing a Rush shirt. And everyone looked at the guy and he just threw his hands up in the air in celebration.
It was a fun concert. Can't wait for the one coming up.