words & photos by Tracy Allison

Last night (7/6) She & Him played a sold out show at Terminal 5. The show was the fourth of fourteen stops on their Summer 2010 tour which also included a free show at Governors Island on the 4th of July.

Not long after the doors had opened, the 3,000+ person venue was crowded with concert goers unwilling to stand outside in the near 100 degree heatwave. The audience was full of women wearing light-colored knee-length sundresses in the style of actress and She & Him member Zooey Deschanel.

At 8 p.m., comedian Eugene Mirman took the stage, asking the audience how many of them were aware that the opening act was a comedian and not a musician. While the crowd did not seem particularly impressed with the jokes told during Mirman's 30 minute set, he managed to win over people towards the front of the stage by handing out business cards with ridiculous slogans.

At 9 p.m., She & Him walked on stage to thunderous applause and excitement. For most of their performance, backup vocals were provided by Lily and Abigail Chapin, 2/3rds of the folk-pop group The Chapin Sisters.

Halfway through the set, Zooey Deschanel took a moment to discuss a pet peeve with the audience. "Do you guys know how to turn the flashes off your cameras?" She asked, "I'm not trying to be bossy, but A) it ruins a lot and B) it's bad for pictures. Let us handle the lighting." In fact, Terminal 5's security guards walked throughout the venue very strictly enforcing the "No Pictures" rule for the night.

She & Him played for a total of 1 1/2 hours, performing songs such as "Sentimental Heart", "You Really Gotta Hold On Me", "Brand New Shoes", "In The Sun", "Don't Look Back", "This Is Not a Test", "Take It Back", and "Home".

After an evening full of beautiful music, audience cheers, and Zooey Deschanel jumping around on stage with a tambourine, She & Him returned for a short encore with the show finally ending around 10:30 p.m.

More (legally taken, flash-free) pictures from the show below...

Continue reading "She & Him & Eugene Mirman played Terminal 5 (pics & setlist)"

photos by Sarahana, words & photos by Chris La Putt, SXSW shots by Graeme Flegenheimer

"Was asked to have my picture taken at the She&Him show because "I dress like Zooey" compliment of a lifetime" - Brandi Bullar.

She & Him @ SXSW

She & Him, backed by The Chapin Sisters, played the first of their two sold-out shows at the Bowery Ballroom last night, March 29th. They're celebrating the release of their second album, aptly named Volume Two. The crowd was a full of Zooey Deschanel look-alikes with floppy hats and fancy bows adorning their heads waiting for some sunny vocals and a blue-eyed beauty (and her partner and expert guitar player M Ward). I was hoping (unrealistically) for a guest appearance by Tilly and the Wall who contibute to "In the Sun" on the album, but no such luck. They did play the song though. Full setlist below.

The Living Sisters (sans Inara George) @ Bowery Ballroom

Opening for Zooey and M. Ward at the Bowery were the the Living Sisters who started the show off with wonderfully offbeat old timey standards with modern lyrics (something to the tune of asking their boyfriends to tie them up in double knots). The band is made up of LA's Eleni Mandell, Inara George (of Bird and the Bee fame), and Becky Stark (Lavender Diamond), but Bird and the Bee backing vocalist and lead singer of Obi Best, Alex Lilly filled in for the Bee as Inara is in LA expecting a baby. Their debut album Love to Live is out today on Vanguard Records.

She & Him finish their March tour tonight (3/30) at the Bowery (The Chapin Sisters open this time), then play scattered days in April, May and June including Coachella, Sasquatch and Bonnaroo. All dates, more pictures from the first night at the Bowery and some from SXSW with a video of Zooey hopping around onstage at the El Rey, below...

Continue reading "She & Him played SXSW & Bowery Ballroom (pics, setlist) w/ the Living Sisters (Becky Stark, Eleni Mandell, Inara George)"

Manimal Vinyl Records presents an ambitious tribute album to Madonna called listen Through the Wilderness. It features covers of Madonna classics by Giant Drag, The Tyde, Lavender Diamond, Mountain Party, Winter Flowers, The Chapin Sisters, Ariel Pink, Siddhartha, Jeremy Jay, Golden Animals, Alexandra Hope, Pangaeans, Jonathan Wilson, Lion of Panjshir, The Prayers and The Bubonic Plague. 25% of the profits will be donated to Raising Malawi. [listen on MySpace] (via)