The night before his big debut at Carnegie Hall, Andrew Bird gave an (more) intimate performance at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. With Noble Beast just released last week, the setlist was filled with tracks from the new album. Backed by guitarist Jeremy Ylvisaker, bassist/clarinetist/saxophonist Michael Lewis, with Martin Dosh (of Dosh fame) on percussion, Andrew Bird introduced fans to future favorites.
The show opened with the car commercial-ready “Fitz and the Dizzyspells” (a compliment, really!). Bird looped, sang, played, and whistled his way a slew of new tracks. Compared to Bird’s previous albums, Noble Beast definitely skews more pop in its jangly melodies and fuller instrumentation. The more cohesive sound is undoubtedly attributed to the increased prominence of other instruments than the violin; Bird’s experimentation is especially noticeable on tracks like “Not a Robot, but a Ghost” in which Dosh’s percussion is of equal, if not more, importance as Bird’s stringwork. Despite Bird’s preface that the band was also new to these songs, the songs translated flawlessly from album to stage. Clearly, Bird has this full-band sound down pat.
The show’s decidedly casual feel was evident through Bird’s banter with the audience. While the audience eagerly yelled out requests for old favorites like “Scythian Empire” and “Measuring Cups,” Bird made wry comments about the audience’s insistence on familiarity, “This next one is a new one, and then I’ll play an old one, okay?” or “I guess I did open up the floor to everyone when I asked what people thought about me playing mostly new songs.” To appease the audience, Bird played an extremely rowdy rendition of “Fake Palindromes.” During the encore, Bird performed “Glass Figurine” solo. Even though his voice cracked within the first few notes, Bird’s sheepish grin granted him the audience’s forgiveness and even cheers of encouragement. With only his guitar, Bird piqued my memory of when I last saw him three or four years ago, when his repertoire was comparatively pared down. There may have been more members on stage and more people in the audience, but Bird’s performance remained intimate.

All photos by Khalid Ahmed