The Polyphonic Spree are kinda ridiculous.
They’ve been wearing cassocks/nightgowns since the early aughties, there’s about 147 (actually 14) of them in the band, leader Tim DeLaughter bounds about like a slightly sub-Wayne Coyne preacher, waving his arms about, directing the floor like a choir, and you can’t help but notice that tiny, tiny red light that spells “CONTRIVED” flashing somewhere in your peripheral vision.
The last time I saw the Spree – in 2003 at London, England’s Astoria – I remember thinking they were utterly bonkers… but utterly charming. And it’s been a while, a long while, since the Spree came back around. Now, here they are.
AND THEY ARE AWESOME.
Live, at least. The albums are yunno…okayyyyy, but a live show, is a Spree…so full of fun. Like candy, it rots your teeth after a while, but while you’re inhaling it, getting powder all over your gob, it’s just SO GOOD! And they sound great, so…WIN!
At a Polyphonic show, you can’t help but grin, loon-like, and do some sort of jig akin to the one the little feller does in the Men Without Hats video for “Safety Dance”.
When the gig starts from behind red fabric that Tim cuts through in the shape of a heart, when the guy with the green trombone blasts, when the trumpet player plays while knob twiddling his samplers, when the two drummers bash out behind perspex, when the girls in the back sing harmonies and flip their hair like Go-Go dancers, and when the bassist, keyboard player, guitarist jump around and shout out out out, it’s…Just. So. Much. FUN. And when the cellist finishes off by playing the thing upside down, resting on her shoulders? EPIC FUN. Welcome to the Church, folks.
When “Soldier Girl” hits the rafters, “When the Fool Becomes a King” echoes about with lyrics about trees wanting to grow grow GROW, when a cover of “Pinball Wizard” makes an appearance, when “Light & Day/Reach for the Sun” makes us all punch the air and when Tim takes us through a nice little singsong to end with “The Championship”…it’s JUST. SO. MUCH. FUN.
Polyphonic Spree, I do not mind drinking your Kool Aid. \m/
One response to “The Return of THE POLYPHONIC SPREE: PHOTOS/REVIEW/FUN”
*Spots trumpet playing guy from My Jerusalem*
From the last pic alone, it looks like it was a spectacular night! They’re one of those bands when you just know it’s going to be a bit silly but very lovely, and there’s still nobody else who does this quite like they do 🙂