I'll start simply. After 11 years and hundreds of gigs, festivals etc I have a new favourite gig of all time. Gone is Mercury Rev at the Enmore Theatre a decade ago.
Sufjan Stevens is unparalleled in the live arena. Opening with Seven Swans might seem odd giving he was touring Adz but it was brilliance on display. Stevens, banjo, lone light and a crowd holding its breath. "There was a fire in the yard ... I saw the sign in the sky, seven swans, seven swans."
NOISE and LIGHT
Stevens is dressed in disco motor leathers and the ten musicians/family members with him are beards and bowling alley dresses and then some sort of headware. I never knew Seven Swans was on Adz, always assumed it was on the album of the same name. Lyrically it still talks of the apocalypse but now it talks of the apocalypse coming loudly and with horns and drums, it is more obviously now a song of Revelation because of its noise.
Once he has you it is very difficult to escape Stevens whose magnetism grows through two hours of glorious noise, occasionally interrupted by well-timed three minute folk songs.
Welcome too is a chatty Stevens who talks of influences and past efforts. You can read about the influence of self-proclaimed prophet, astrologer and astronomer Royal Robertson or, as he preferred to be known until his death in 2003, “Libra Patriarch Prophet Lord Archbishop Apostle Visionary Mystic Psychic Saint Royal Robertson.” But until you both see and hear that influence it is impossible to understand with any strength. To resort to comparisons this is somewhere between Dark Side of the Moon, Kraftwerk, the Old Testament and science class.
On some listens Vesuvius is the centre of Adz and live it dominated the centre of two plus hours inside the acoustic wonderment of the House. The lyrical interplay between "Vesuvius" and the one less syllable of "Sufjan" feels even more clouded live, as if the two words are being sung in opposing places just to lock you in SPIN.
Of course the finale was always going to be a jammed out version of the already 25 minute Impossible Soul. It is testament to his song writing credentials that Sufjan starts so simply. One key and his voice. Imperceptibly come cymbals and two cheerleaders for the first rise. From there a guitar solo, a disco, choral backing and you have forgotten the first key and his voice is now layered, automated but captivating.
A female voice urges "don't be distracted" by what is going on, close your eyes.
Most of us writing about music like to keep it simple. To offer our logic driven opinions on drum solos and breakdowns. Sufjan Stevens steals logic and captivates the soul.
Video of the concert is available at http://play.sydneyoperahouse.com/index.php/Music/sufjan-stevens-live-exclusive-age-of-adz.html
