The Polyphonic Spree Makes Me Smile

I'm going to make a list of bands you should see before you die. Let's start now:

- The Flaming Lips
- Arcade Fire
- My Morning Jacket
- Polyphonic Spree

I saw Polyphonic Spree on Wednesday for the third time and this was the best show yet... maybe because it was inside and I wasn't running around behind the scenes, unlike the previous two times. There was this great energy in the crowd that compensated for the lack of bodies (ED: What is wrong with you, Atlanta?! This is a great band! Where were you??). I couldn't help but smile throughout the whole thing, watching so many people get involved in the music.

The show opened with a Powerpoint projection on a huge strip of red cloth. The lyrics to John Lennon's "Gimme Some Truth" appeared on the cloth with the song playing along. Then Tim DeLaugher, frontman of the Spree, cut the cloth and revealed the stage with 20-something band members ready to play.

The encore went on and on and on -- it even included a cover of Nirvana's "Lithium," from their EP Wait. There was confetti, streamers, black army uniforms, flowing white robes.

The orchestral arrangements are pretty spectacular and the CDs don't capture the awe-factor... especially once you see all of those musicians crammed onto one stage, interacting with one another.

Here's a video from the showcase I worked on at SXSW:



And an awesome one of "Light & Day":



(Facebook readers, you have to go to the "Original Post" to see the embedded video)