Week of Neutral Milk Hotel

     Now I know it's been a while since I have reviewed a concert, but I have one this week. That might also be in part that I haven't seen a concert in a while, (insert fake cry here). This incredible reunion act was one of the biggest reunions of 2013, and now 2014 is getting their taste as well. I personally think the craziest thing about this show is the fact that it happened at all. Neutral Milk Hotel only put out two albums and one ep on their short lived, but famous existence. They released On Avery Island in 1996, In The Airplane Over the Sea in 1998, and then the band broke up. Lead singer and songwriter Jeff Magnum was already a well known recluse, but after the band dissolved he stayed out of the limelight for over ten years, until 2012 when a solo tour arrived. Following that, came the miracle announcement that the one and only Neutral Milk Hotel had announced a reunion tour. Every hipsters dream had come true. Without further ado, this week I will be reviewing Neutral Milk Hotel live in concert.

     On February 13th I went to see to see Neutral Milk Hotel at The Uptown Theater in Kansas City. This was not the first time I attempted to see Jeff Magnum live. When he first announced his solo tour I was very excited and wanted to see it. Even though the tour lasted a good two years and made several stops throughout the Midwest, I was unable to make it to any of them. Every time the Neutral Milk Hotel fans got the best of me, and the shows sold out. Those were the solo shows and they were selling out immediately. So that shows you the rabid cult following Neutral Milk Hotel have achieved since their breakup. The first few shows announced on the tour were selling out in minutes and becoming a lottery process to even get them. Let's just say I counted my self very lucky to even be here.

Here is my favorite Neutral Milk Hotel song.

     When I arrived at the Uptown Theater, I looked around and saw more hipsters than I had ever seen in my entire life. At first it was kind of terrifying. Every one of the worst, most ridiculous, and stereotypical pictures of  hipsters was there, with me just trying to blend in. The opening band Elf Power came on and played a very good set, but like many people in the audience I was way too preoccupied waiting for the headliners. At 9:30 on the dot a very shaggy bearded Jeff Magnum took the stage alone to open the show with Two Headed Boy. All of the weirdness melted away at that moment.We were no longer an audience, we had become the congregation at his mountain folk church. In all seriousness this was almost an religious experience for many people in the audience. Half way through the song the rest of Neutral Milk Hotel joined Jeff Magnum on stage, and they continued straight through into The Fool.

Here is Jeff Magnum solo for Two Headed Boy.

     Unlike most of my live reviews, you may notice that their aren't any photos of the show itself. Well there is a reason for that. They were very specific about the no photos and no videos during the show. The show it self  felt like you walked right into the mountains in northern Europe and were watching a performance done around a campfire. It was a very unique environment, like a mix of mountain men and modern hipsters. They looked like that hadn't been seen in 10+ years. It was a two plus hour long show playing everything off of In The Airplane Over the Sea with the exception of Communist Daughter. Most of On Avery Island, and even songs off of the ep Everything Is.The show was simple and straight to the point. No special effects, video screens, or special light shows just the music speaking to the audience and the band. In fact the other members of Neutral Milk Hotel looked almost as happy as the audience to be there. They didn't just play the songs straight through, they would improvise, add Grateful Dead style jams, and add choruses from some songs into other songs. It was quite the expert showing of Musicianship. The real highlight of the night was Jeff's voice. His voice was loud and proud, shimmered through even when the instruments were pounding. His range was unbelievable and awesome.

Take a look at the tuba player, and how awesomely mountainous he is.

      During the show everyone except for Jeff Magnum played multiple instruments from the tuba, bass, trumpets, trombones, Fluglehorn, accordion, to a banjo played with a bow. That was where multi instrumentalist Julain Koster comes in. Jeff Magnum stayed in one spot for the entirety of the show singing and playing his guitar while the rest of the band moved off and on stage and switched instruments as needed. Especially Julian Koster who played the bass, the banjo, the accordion, and even a hand saw with a bow. It was hilarious to watch. Jeff was very still during the show, so it was Julian that added energy to the show by jumping around while playing accordion, hammering on the hand saw, and making the audience and Jeff laugh. The band even having not played for 15 years, performed like a well oilded machine, playing every song perfectly, and having a blast doing it. They would switch from full band to Jeff Solo several times thought the night. Which added a very cool intimacy vs. grand element to the show. They played all of the fan favorites Two Headed Boy Part 1 and 2, King of Carrot Flowers Part 1 2 and 3, Oh Comely, Ghost, The Fool, and Holland 1945, as well as a lot of others.

Here is the setlist.

1. Two Headed Boy

2. The Fool

3. Holland, 1945

4. A Baby for Pree/ Glow Into You

5.Gardenhead/ Leave Me Alone

6. Everything Is

7. The King of Carrot Flowers, Part 1

8. The King of Carrot Flowers, Part 2 & 3

9. In The Airplane Over The Sea

10. Naomi

11. Ferris Wheel On Fire

12. Song Against Sex

13. Oh Comely

14. Ruby Bulbs

15. Snow Song Part 1 

Encore:

16. Ghost

17. (Untitled)

18. Two Headed Boy, Part 2

19. Engine

     Jeff Magnum said very little during the show only stopping to thank the audience and wisper with the band. At one point in an interview, he had said he had no further interest in making more Neutral Milk Hotel music, and maybe that's still true. However he really seemed to enjoy himself up with the full band atmosphere, like he was part of something greater. When you are in the audience at these shows you also feel like you are a part of something greater. The songs may have only been around since the 90's, but they have so much importance and fondness attached to them for so many, that they feel like passed down classic folk songs. If you get the chance to see them anywhere on this tour, do it! Who knows what Jeff Magnum and company will be doing tomorrow, but now it's Neutral Milk Hotel. Go see it while it lasts. 

 Here is King of Carrot Flowers, Part 2 & 3.