Sufjan Stevens

Atlanta's Fabulous Fox Theatre played host to Sufjan Stevens on Wednesday night and my wife and I had the pleasure of being in attendance. Stevens actually puts on a whole show, not just a concert, with the band wearing butterfly and bird wings and vintage film footage thematically related to each song playing on a screen behind the stage. I have not heard much of Stevens' music, just enough to think it would be a fun show. And it was, though the large band (at least six or seven string instruments and three horns) was not to my liking and most of the songs could have been two minutes shorter. Nonetheless, Stevens himself is a prodigious talent and the simpler songs which highlighted his skills were wonderful, with "Casimir Pulaski Day" a particularly stunning piece (having grown up in northern Illinois, I actually did get out of school for Casimir Pulaski Day).

And the theatre itself is gorgeous, a true testament to the restoration work that has preserved a great landmark. The history of the Fox is fascinating in and of itself, but one really must visit the theatre and see a show to appreciate the beauty of the building, particularly the attention to detail, which is where the Fox really shines. We enjoyed the concert as much for it being at the Fox as for the performance itself.

A warning, however: if My Brightest Diamond is the opening act for a concert you are attending, plan to arrive late. About an hour late, so that there is no chance your ears have to suffer the noise which attacks from the stage when Shara Worden is performing. She was bad. I have listened to the clips on her website, and they are significantly better than her live performance. Almost listenable, in fact.

UPDATE: CNN has a review of the show, noting the originality of both the venue and the performer, but mercifully making no mention of the opening act.