At the urging of a friend I went to see North Carolina band Lost in the Trees. I never heard their music and was glad I got to check them out. Their symphonic indie folk was elegant and brooding. Singer / songwriter, Ari Picker’s ghostly falsetto was supported by his acoustic guitar (with distortion), 2 cellos, a violinist, drums, bass (the bass player also busted out a tuba periodically), and a stunning multi-instrumentalist that moved between floor tom, xylophone, French horn, trumpet, and harpsichord (I think that is what it was) while commanding a powerfully trained backing vocal.
Jan 192011
Over the past 20 years or so The Black Crowes carved a niche as the quintessential American rock n’ roll band. They did this by studying and practicing to receive an honorary PhD from the School of Rock. The Crowes are students of the trade, learning from the songwriting nuance of bands like The Beatles, the honky-tonk swagger of The Rolling Stones, the glam and volume of Zeppelin, the guitar power of 70′s mountain rock from bands like, well, Mountain, the jamming blues-rock prowess of The Dead, and the southern grace of the Allman Brothers just to name a few obvious influences. They are able to harness all of this and adapt it to their sound and abilities to create their own vibe. They can be gritty, folk-y, loud, jam-y, intimate, and heavy. They were all of this and more during the 2-day stint in their hometown at Atlanta, Georgia’s famed Tabernacle.
Thievery Corporation opened up the double headlining show and powered through a more uptempo set than usual. They were heavy on the reggae and the percussion, pumping up the large crowd for one of the most anticipated electronica shows I’ve seen. 
The show opened with Pearly Gate Music which was some guy with an electric guitar that reminded me a little of Lilly Taylor’s character in Say Anything, I kept waiting for him to belt, “Joe lies! / Joe lies when he cries!” The music was quiet and poignant, but if that’s what music sounds like at the pearly gates, then I’m glad I’m going to hell. His MySpace music player sounds like he mixes in more instruments for the recordings to be fair.
Owen Pallet was an interesting compliment to The National. His proto-folk was rife with powerful, intimate lyrics and the delivery was unique. One friend described him as Andrew Byrd meets Beirut, whilst another well-versed friend described Owen as an Andrew Byrd that doesn’t fuck-up as much live. Owen and a single musical partner built subtle, fragile walls of loops by layering chord progressions and melodies one at a time. Most of this was done with Owen’s extremely versatile violin. He could use effects to create the sound of a bass guitar or drum on his violin, loop the rhythm, then play a keyboard melody, add it to the loop, and add violin melodies and vocals to the top.
the back bar. The National’s encore was perfect with a rousing version of “Mr. November” and a gentle unplugged (not just acoustic, but totally unplugged – no mics, no amps) sing-along with the crowd and Owen Pallet for “Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks” – a sweet little butterfly kiss goodnight.
and an iPod. They played the majority of their debut album, Treats, with ear-splitting high energy. Derek Miller’s guitar wailed as the sexy Alexis Krauss screamed and danced through their small, but powerful setlist including “Kids,” “Tell ‘Em,” and the closer, “Crown on the Ground.”
Pat on drums and the seductive Nancy Whang on a myriad of synth and assorted keys seemed to steal the show. They were assisted by a number of other musicians, working in guitar, bass, and all kinds of percussion to recreate (and outdo the recorded versions) the swell and build of songs like “Dance Yourself Clean” and “All My Friends.” They ended the first set with “Trials and Tribulations” then incredibly powerful and high energy, barn burning versions of “Movement” and “