Although he's touring to support the recently released DGC album "Modern Guilt," Beck treated the capacity crowd to a career overview, drawing on highlights from his diverse oeuvre, with the second half of the set specifically designed to take advantage of the evening's orchestral support.
This made for an interesting evening, spotlighting Beck's multifaceted talent. At one point, he and his five-piece band went from the traditional setup of guitar, drums, bass and keyboards -- on songs like a frantic cover of Bob Dylan's "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat" and the one-off single "Timebomb" -- to headsets and hand-held beatboxes for the white boy hip-hop of "Hell Yes" and "Black Tambourine." From there, the band was joined by the orchestra. Campbell has orchestrated strings on Beck's albums and at the Bowl for Sheryl Crow and Willie Nelson, but this marked the first onstage collaboration between father and son.
The eight songs featuring orchestral support drew on different influences and employed various instrumental configurations. "Modern Guilt" bounced with an infectious Kinks-y pop. In "Missing," Beck mixed tropicalia with psychedelia, as the orchestra swelled behind him, while "Chemtrails" was a full-scale '60s-inspired psychedelic freakout, with the evening's best use of lighting and an LCD backdrop.
Once the orchestra was dismissed, Beck and company brought back the party vibe with "Where It's At" and ended the evening with a bang with the rollicking "E-Pro."
Openers MGMT and Spoon proved to be Beck's kindred spirits. The former explored prog rock and electronic dance music, and the latter performed smart and catchy pop. Neither, however, could match the charisma of the night's headliner.
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
Kevin Smith Promises Full-Frontal Nudity In ‘Porno,’ Despite R Rating
Janet Jackson parts ways with Island Def Jam
(Reuters)
Pink notches first solo No. 1 single
(Reuters)
