Fleet Foxes- Palais Theatre

Tonight I headed down to the newly renovated Palais Theatre in St Kilda to see Fleet Foxes play their only Falls Festival side show in Australia. Opening the evening was Australian singer-songwriter Gordi (aka Sophie Payten) who played a solo set on acoustic guitar and keyboard (with some loops and vocal effects thrown in). Besides her own songs she also did a cover of Courtney Barnett's "Avant Gardener."

It's been six years since Fleet Foxes last played in Melbourne, although I was fortunate enough to see them last year in May at Vivid in Sydney. They started the evening with the opening tracks "I Am All That I Need / Arroyo Seco / Thumbprint Scar" and "Cassius, -" off their latest album Crack-Up. It was good to hear these album tracks again now that the band have been touring them over the past six months, especially my favorites "On Another Ocean (January / June)," "Fool’s Errand" and "Third Of May / Odaigahara."

The band powered through their set, often not stopping in between songs. There was an energy and joy as they sang each song, and the harmonies were amazing as they worked their way through their back catalogue. There were so many highlights, including "The Shrine / An Argument" and "Grown Ocean" off Helplessness Blues and "White Winter Hymnal," "Ragged Wood" and "Your Protector" off their self-titled debut album. The most special moments though were when lead singer Robin Pecknold took to the stage solo with just an acoustic guitar to sing "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" and "Oliver James," which had the crowd silent and transfixed.  They finished off the night with an impassioned version of "Helplessness Blues" and the audience sent them off with a standing ovation.

Here's the video for "Fool's Errand:"