Saturday Night in July with the Decemberists

Pulling off a stunt like performing your songs live with a major orchestra is risky -- but the Decemberists more than pulled it off on Saturday night.

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(Pic by Sung Kim, via Pitchfork Media.)

The Portland, Ore.-based group's complicated and lushly-worded songs seemed almost tailor-made for the treatment, handled here by the LA Philharmonic. (The band did give the orchestra a break on a handful of songs.) And they weren't overwhelmed by the Bowl -- singer Colin Meloy seemed to be having a great time on stage -- venturing twice out on the runway between the orchestra pit and the rest of the expensive seats, and also asking the audience at one point to indulge him by lifting their cell phones in a 21st century version of the lighter tribute (which actually, come to think of it, seems to be a Hollywood Bowl tradition now).


(Pic by Sung Kim, via Pitchfork Media.)

Beyond the crowd fave "Los Angeles, I'm Yours," and hit "O Valencia," standouts included "The Infanta," "We Both Go Down Together," and the epic "Tain, Parts I-V."

Meanwhile, we got to the Bowl too late to see Band of Horses, but just in time to see Andrew Bird's awesome set.



Check out more pics from the event -- and video too! -- here (via kevchino.com).

Thanks to Fanscape for conducting our Decemberists giveaway and getting Franklin Avenue into the show as well.