thoughtcrumbs

Colin Meloy at the Doug Fir

Cutie chanteur Colin Meloy (Decemberists) played a solo show at the Doug Fir last night, filling the stylishly timbered lounge with the songs his bandmates won't let him play. Turns out those happen to be my favorite Decemberists songs: Shiny, The Bachelor and the Bride, The Gymnast; the ones with gorgeous chord progressions best suited to acoustic guitar uncluttered by other instruments. Meloy remarked that the solo tour reminded him of his early Portland performances, "if each of you represented 0.06 of yourself, and collectively formed the bartender and a cocktail waitress. And maybe a drunk guy." He also promoted his upcoming album, Picaresque, which the guy standing behind me defined as "all about Captain Picard. You just drop the 'd.'"