Andrew Bird at Civic Opera House

It’s difficult to articulate exactly what seeing Andrew Bird in concert feels like. There’s an energy, an electricity in the air that’s not replicable. It’s just incredible. He has more hometown pride than just about any Chicago musician I’ve seen. He was in awe of his venue, saying that playing the Civic Opera House meant more to him than playing Carnegie Hall- a huge compliment to the city of Chicago. The night after his violin broke into pieces after it was dropped on the stage, Bird was careful with his instrument, even when demonstrating the sequence of events that led up to the catastrophe. The oversized spinning phonographs on stage behind the band and simple colored lighting on the scrim created a classic yet simultaneously contemporary atmosphere, enhanced with Bird’s red pants and bare feet that operated pedals to make his voice, whistle and violin loop at various increments throughout the performance. The performance itself? Nothing short of completely amazing and breathtaking. Many of the songs were completely different from the album, but in the case of Andrew Bird, people have come to expect a certain degree of experimentation. The performance of “Fake Palindromes” sent shivers up my spine as it was so electrifying to see live. If you get the chance, go see Andrew Bird. I left with a feeling of unbridled joy. You will too.