Brooklyn’s hipster-indie poster kids Dirty Projectors took the stage at the Showbox Market Thursday night with an abundance of energy, sounding tight and much louder and more rock-like than on record.
They were so rock-like that drummer Brian McOmber broke his snare drum after the first couple songs, forcing the other members to tone it down with a couple vocal-centric numbers. While this may have caused a noticeable lull in many bands’ shows, the DPs used it as an opportunity to let the insanely talented trio of Amber Coffman, Angel Deradoorian, and Haley Dekle showcase their pipes. Hearing them in person validates the notion that Coffman and Deradoorian were on the album cover of last year’s well-received Bitte Orca for a reason. Those ladies can flat-out sing.
Even after the drum situation was fixed, hearing the three of them harmonize with lead Projector Dave Longstreth’s signature wails was one of the focal points of the show. The bouncy, rapidly-alternating vocal stabs in “When the World Comes to an End” was one of the most awe-inspiring moments, and made me recall an interview with Longstreth in which he stated that the human voice is his favorite instrument. Dirty Projectors use their voices as just that – another instrument to add to the traditional guitar, bass, keys and drums – and use it damn well.
It didn’t end there, as the rest of the instrumentation was just as impressive during their set. Longstreth’s unorthodox lefty guitar style, strap tightened all the way up to his armpit and using nothing but his fingers to pluck and strum, is as unique as his noodling riffs and solos that seem directionless until he somehow incorporates all the right notes. Bassist Nat Baldwin, clad in a dress-like throwback Sonics jersey and um, either really short shorts or no pants at all, switched back and forth between electric and standup bass throughout the set.
Coffman proved she wasn’t just there to sing, somehow matching most of Longstreth’s wacky leads in songs like “No Intention” and “Temecula Sunrise” on her own guitar. Everything came together in a dramatic yet unpredictable fashion, throwing in a tempo shift, odd time signature or key change just when things seemed to start getting normal.
It was funny to see people in the crowd react to the band’s undeniable technical chops and oft-erratic sound. Everyone was transfixed on the near-flawless performance, most just staring in true Seattle fashion – arms crossed, eyes wide and head bobbing. But a surprising number of more devoted fans openly displayed their love through a variety of quasi-dance moves. Some pogoed, some raised their arms and pumped their fists and a select few displayed some incredible hippie white-person dance moves. You know the type – eyes closed, bodies gyrating, arms swaying, with just as little rhythm as regard for how it all looks.
For some reason it reminded me of fans of bands like Phish. Yes, that Phish. While Dirty Projectors’ music is nothing like Phish’s jam band’s brand of extensive groove-rock, it has the same idea behind it. It’s unconventional and unpredictable at times. Phish had their 12-minute improvisational solos and a song where the drummer played a vaccum with his mouth. Dirty Projectors have crazy vocal harmonies and Longstreth’s avant-garde approach to songwriting. The emphasis is on the musicianship and fans geek out over the playing, singing and compositional elements. While they eat this stuff up, just as many other listeners hear an aimless, WTF-inducing mess of jumbled notes and yelps. And that capacity for hating on both bands is further compounded by their labels – Phish as Teva-and-tie-dye-wearing hippie music, Dirty Projectors as snooty, pretentious, art-school hipster stuff.
I wasn’t sure what side of the love/hate fence side I was on before this show, but afterwards I can confidently say this to all the pretentious Pitchfork-reading types that enjoy this band so much: I get it. They are crazy talented and put on one heck of a show. And while I won’t be quitting my day job to buy a Prius and follow the band on its next tour or anything, you can consider me among the ranks of Dirty Projectors fans.
