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Spoon at First Avenue on 10/10/07

By: Jon Behm

Britt Daniel of Spoon - Photo by Jon Behm

I may have to move to Austin. Minneapolis is no slouch, but the quality of the bands that have been birthed in that Texas town is astounding. From Janis Joplin to the Butthole Surfers, Austin has a long-standing reputation for talented and original musicians. Not the least among them is the indie-rock band Spoon, whom I was lucky enough to catch on Wednesday night at First Avenue. 

The members of Spoon have a serious passion for music, which is made obvious both by their skilled musicianship (Jim Eno was named one of Stylus Magazine’s greatest rock drummers, lead singer Britt Daniel can rock a Gibson like nobody’s business) and their unparalleled onstage energy. The combination of great playing and a passionate band made for a completely engaged audience. From their first song, “Utilitarian,” to the end of the four-song encore, the band never once lagged, always delivering it in your face rather than phoning it in.    

Though Spoon has released a steady stream of albums since around 1996, it was 2005’s incredible Gimme Fiction that really hooked me. I was happy to hear a number of singles from that album at the show, from an impassioned “I Summon You,” to “The Beast and Dragon, Adored” segueing perfectly into “The Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine.” The older work wasn’t ignored either as the piano-driven “The Way We Get By”made a much welcomed appearance, utilizing an echo effect to really make Daniel’s voice snarl and howl through the choruses. Throughout the entire set, Britt sweated, hustled and squeezed off some amazing guitar solos. After one particular female fan let out a high-pitched squeal, he remarked, “She’s a screamer,” mid-song, getting a few laughs and showing us that he’s not as serious as his demeanor suggests. 

Spoon - Photo by Jon Behm

After a 17-song set, the band mopped off gallons of sweat before returning to the stage for a stunning four-song encore. The highlight was “Me and the Bean,” which featured heavy enough piano chords to shake the floor. One of the most impressive moments was when Daniel mentioned to the adoring crowd that Minneapolis has always been one of his favorite places to play. Probably says this to every town, right? Wrong. He went on to name drop both the 400 Bar and 7th Street Entry, proving that either he really does love our town or he is a smart entertainer with access to Wikipedia. I am inclined to believe the former. 

Spoon proved on Wednesday night that they are both one of the hardest working as well as the most talented bands out there today. In an era of the disaffected band “cool” that seems to be becoming more and more common, it is nice to see a band that isn’t taking its fans for granted. They did more than just entertain us at First Avenue, they earned the adulation that we were so eager to lavish on them. They certainly didn’t have to. Spoon has reached a level of popularity where it would be easy for them to sit back and rest on their laurels. Lucky for us they are a band with a lot of character. The kind of band I will pay to see again and again because I know that they will always make it an incredible experience.

Setlist:

Utilitarian
The Minor Tough
The Fitted Shirt
Small Stakes
The Way We Get By
Stay Don’t Go
Vittorio E
The Beast and Dragon, Adored
The Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine
My Mathematical Mind
I Summon You
I Turn My Camera On
Don’t Make Me a Target
The Ghost of You Lingers
You Got Yr. Cherrybomb
The Underdog
Black Like Me 

Encore:

Chips and Dip
Me and the Bean
Don’t You Evah
Quincy Punk Episode

Location Info: First Avenue
Artist Info: Spoon

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