Grandaddy played first NYC show in over 10 years @ LPR w/ Beverly (pics/video, setlist, review)
“What’s next? Just some notes and drums,” Grandaddy frontman Jason Lytle said, fielding a question from the audience. The crowd at Le Poisson Rouge on Tuesday night (2/28) were perhaps a little more anxious than usual to know what song was coming up, given that this was the California band’s first NYC show in over 10 years. The band looked a little older (so did most of the crowd) but otherwise little has changed for the Modesto, CA band whose new album, Last Place, is a welcome return and whose sound hasn’t aged a bit.
If anything, what Grandaddy does — chunky guitar and swirling synths spacerock with lyrical themes of ennui and alienation amidst the banalities of life — seems to resonate more than ever in 2017. They opened with three classics: “Hewlett’s Daughter,” “El Caminos in the West” and “Laughing Stock” before dropping in Last Place‘s first single “Way We Won’t” which fit in perfectly. There were some technical glitches — Lytle said the band were playing these shows with rented gear — but they took it all in easygoing stride. “It may look like we’re miserable and strained up here,” Lytle said. “But we’re actually having a blast.”
The LPR setlist covered most of Grandaddy’s big songs: “A.M. 180,” “Now It’s On,” “The Crystal Lake,” “Everything Beautiful is Far Away” and “Summer Here Kids” as well as new ones “Evermore,” “The Boat is in the Barn” and “I Don’t Wanna Live Here Anymore.” Perhaps we’ll get “I’m on Standby” or “The Group Who Couldn’t Say” at one of their other three shows. The crowd Tuesday night was very into it, super psyched to be seeing them again. (Did we take Grandaddy for granted by the mid-’00s? Probably.) Or in the words of “He’s Simple, He’s Dumb, He’s The Pilot” which closed out the main set, “Well it’s just nice to have you back again.”
Setlist and fan-shot video from the show (there were pro videographers shooting it too) are below. Beverly opened the show and their ultra-catchy ’90s-leaning sound — last night with a three-guitar attack — seemed to win over the folks I was standing around. Pictures of their set, and more of Grandaddy, are in the gallery above.
Tonight’s Music Hall of Williamsburg show and their Thursday late show at Rough Trade are sold out, but you can still get into the early Rough Trade show. You need to pre-order Last Place at Rough Trade anytime today or tomorrow before the show to get an entry wristband. Grandaddy will do a signing too. Doors for that show are at 6:30 with start time at 7 PM.
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SETLIST: GRANDADDY @ LE POISSON ROUGE 2/28/2017
Hewlett’s Daughter
El Caminos in the West
Laughing Stock
Way We Won’t
Disconnecty
Evermore
The Crystal Lake
My Small Love
Levitz
A.M. 180
So You’ll Aim Toward the Sky
I Don’t Wanna Live Here Anymore
Everything Beautiful Is Far Away
Now It’s On
He’s Simple, He’s Dumb, He’s the Pilot
Encore:
The Boat is in the Barn
Summer Here Kids
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photos by Amanda Hatfield
