Grizzly Bear returned to Florida for the first time in seven years on June 19, playing the first of a two-show jaunt at The Ritz Ybor in Tampa to a nearly sold out crowd.
The group Majical Cloudz opened for the Bear. Self-described “musical project and performance event,” the two-piece seemed to have caught the audience off guard with their brazen and minimalistic approach. Lead vocalist Devon Walsh spewed emotion and clutched his bald head, spellbinding the room with his deep-voiced and desperate pleas. Matthew Otto played a synth with more energy than mortally possible, and snuck in the occasional spooky harmony. Both of their shadows were projected onto the venue walls by the stage lights, 100 times larger than life.
Towards the end of their set Walsh told the audience that they were probably the biggest group they had had ever played to. “We prefer really small rooms,” he said, and proceeded to jump over the barrier in front of the stage and sing the next song among the people. Just before they exited the stage an eager fan asked for Walsh’s socks, but he regretfully said that he had only packed a couple pairs for the tour.
The room slowly started to fill with fog during a suspenseful 20-minute intermission, until the silhouettes of Grizzly Bear finally emerged from stage right and left to tremendous applause. Stage lights powered alive, the shadows turned to flesh, and they uttered the first melodies of the song “Speak in Rounds.” The combined forces of their magical windpipes sounded as good live as they do recorded — if not better.
A few songs into the set, a wall of what looked like luminescent jellyfish lit up behind the band, flashing gold, blue, seaweed green — a color to match the mood of every piece. They played songs from almost every album, touching on the old and the new with equal bravado. They covered the bigger hits “Two Weeks” and “Yet Again,” as well as some more obscure songs like “Shift,” a moody and simplistic tune from their first full-length album.
Drummer Christopher Bear, from whom the band gets half of its name, pounded out his complex, symbol-laden percussion parts seamlessly. Few indie or folk bands can boast of such intricate rhythms, and on top of holding those down Bear also sang background vocals. Bass player Chris Taylor also sang, opening his mouth to startling extremes. He put down the four-string on a number of songs to pick up a saxophone and various other woodwinds, giving each song a hazy place of its own in the sound spectrum.
Lead bear Edward Droste’s melancholy vocals were as haunting and on-key as ever, as were his Charlie Brown-esque dance moves. Lead guitarist Daniel Rossen shared lead vocals with Droste. The two switched off from song to song, giving the band’s sound the shifting dynamic and wide range that have made them so accessible to listeners. At the Ritz they alternated almost consistently throughout the night, pleasing fans of both vocalists.
The band members seemed truly surprised by the overwhelming, loving reaction from the crowd, especially when it came time for the encore. The walls of the Ritz shook for several minutes before the band trotted back out, grinning wolfishly at each other. They had to collect themselves for a moment before they could start again, but when they did it was a sound and sight to behold.
They closed out the night with “Knife,” an old favorite that features Droste, “On a Neck on a Split,” a driving song that features Rossen, and finally an acoustic rendition of “All We Ask.” The song had the perfect sing-a-long ending, and the audience almost drowned out the band with the closing line, “I can’t get out of what I’m into with you.”
Shortly after the show the band poured out enthusiasm for the crowd and the city on Twitter. They posted “Obsessed with Tampa audiences! All bands NEED to come here!” On his personal Twitter account, Droste said, “Want to give the audience tonight the biggest most collective sweaty hug for being awesome. Note to other bands… play Tampa!” The sentiments were encouraging for an area that is often overlooked by indie artists.
Grizzly Bear is one of the few remnants of the psychedelic folk movement of the early 2000s. Their sound has evolved and stayed innovative without drifting off entirely from its roots. Despite the number of musicians who have left the genre behind for trendier territory in recent years, Grizzly Bear proved that the desire for the odd and offbeat is still alive and well in the hearts of music enthusiasts.
The band certainly deserved the admiration they received, as they turned the venue into a magical musical church of sorts for a few hours, and left everyone satisfied and dreamy. The air was thick with enchantment, psychedelica and the musty scent of Grizzly Bear.
Set list:
Speak in Rounds
Adelma
Sleeping Ute
Cheerleader
Lullabye
Yet Again
Shift
A Simple Answer
Foreground
Gun-Shy
Ready, Able
While You Wait for the Others
What’s Wrong
Two Weeks
Half Gate
Sun in Your Eyes
Encore:
Knife
On A Neck, On A Spit
All We Ask (acoustic)
