Polyphonic Spree @ The Chapel 8/19/2013

The size of the  audience swelled after opening acts, Harper Simon and Seryn Monday night at The Chapel as they eagerly waited to see The Polyphonic Spree in all of it's glory. Even though I had only heard about them being glorious I was rather giddy to be seeing them, all of them live.

Photo by: Nikki DeMartini

Are they gypsies?

Are they hippies?

(are gypsies and hippies the same thing?)

 What will they be wearing?!

 

"There are 12 of them,  yeah? " my friend asked, "No". I replied. "I think there's  more."

 

Photo by: Marc Fong

Early on a giddy air filled the night - most notably from the two guys I found myself sandwiched between -  one sported a foot-high mohawk and hugged the stage, guarding a poster tube while the other, a 50 something-year old construction worker lookin’ type firmly stood his ground. This eclecticness of the variety of Polyphonic fans made me more excited to see the band that had brought us together and really exemplified the headlining collective’s wide range of supporters.
 

 

 

Photo by: Marc Fong

Un-intrusively they entered. The band in matching citrus colored paisley choir robes, the 5 piece female back-up singing section in identical white lace dresses and front man, Tim DeLaughter rocked a citrus colored paisley man tunic.
 

Photo by: Nikki DeMartini

I counted 18, all of them fitting in the frame of The Chapel's the alter-less stage when a warm, fuzzy feeling transcended throughout the picturesque venue.

Photo by: Marc Fong

Photo by: Marc Fong

Photo by: Marc Fong

 Emitting an exuberant optimism during "Section 12 (Hold Me Now)" from their 2nd album, Together We're Heavy I fell spellbound and transfixed on the 5 piece back-up singers. Tucked behind the wide array of instruments and musicians the ladies angelic voices and happy faces stood out.

 

Photo by: Marc Fong




Photo by: Marc Fong

Teetering on top of a speaker joyously singing the "Younger Yesterday" DeLaughter fleetingly told a show goer to "put that (camera phone) away". He didn't harp on this issue which was wise because when they started "Popular by Design" a midst multi colored swirling disco lights that turned the whole place into one big happy kaleidoscope more camera phones popped up. In a year where artists like Beyonce & Yeah Yeah Yeahs have scorned camera phones in favor of ‘being in the moment’, this artist trend seems to be on the rise.

Photo by: Marc Fong

 

He dominated the stage, his female counter part aggressively dominated the chelo and the Polyphonic production as a whole was an awesome sight to experience! 

 

The choral-symphonic-pop-rock-gospel band played cuts from their entire collection, including their fourth live performance of “Carefully Try”. DeLaughter thanked everyone for making it out the show, expressing his cheerful excitement that this performance at The Chapel was the group’s first sold out show in San Francisco. This announcement was met with an equally enthusiastic reaction. 

 

Photo by: Marc Fong

 

Set List

1: Section 12 (Hold Me Now)

2: Younger Yesterday

3: Popular by Design

4: Light to Follow

5: 2000 Places

6: Carefully Try

7: I'm Calling

8: You Don't Know Me

9: Hold Yourself Up

10: Soldier Girl

11: The Best Part

12: We Sound Amazed

13: Lithium

14: My Umbrella

15: Light and Day