When
Beach House took the stage last week at Webster Hall, it was no wonder that even with a packed house, a number of fans were positioned outside the venue in hopes of sneaking in; the dream pop outfit had a set that was by all accounts majestic and stirring.
Live, the duo (joined last night by a an equally skillful guest-drummer) is utterly fascinating to watch. From behind a wavy, illustrious mess of hair, front-woman Victoria Legrand instantly captivated all in attendance with her deep lingering vocals, opening with "Walk in the Park". As Legrand swayed back and forth, throwing in the occasional pantomime on fan-favorites like "Zebra", the crowd followed right along, cheering and laughing (at one point the vocalist fell backwards, and the crowd applauded her quick save).
The modest and even effortless-seeming way in which Beach House approaches performing is one of the band's most striking aspects. From the seamless transitions between numbers to the way bandmate Alex Scally cradles his guitar during Legrand's pitch-perfect wails, Beach House exhibits a level of commitment, discipline and inherent talent that is truly remarkable. The duo went on to surprise ticket-holders with a new, yet-to-be-released song that Legrand herself admitted basically didn't exist.
One of the best moments of the show was "Master of None", a song off the band's first self-titled album. Not only is this one of the numbers that originally got Beach House noticed, but it also got this writer through a lot of all-nighters during her senior year of college. -
Megan Diamondstein
Setlist
1.Walk In The Park
2. Lover Of Mine
3. Gila
4. Better Times
5. Norway
6. Silver Soul
7. Master Of None
8. Astronaut
9. Untitled*
10. Used To Be
11. Zebra
12. Heart Of Chambers
13. Take Care
(Encore)
14. Real Love
15. 10 Mile Stereo
*Brand-new track to be recorded
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Beach House on Myspace