The Bird and the Bee
The Bird and the Bee at the Echoplex, Los Angeles, April 7th, 2009
Apr 14, 2009
Web Exclusive
Los Angeles is a great place to see many of your favorite bands. However, Los Angeles is also the worst place to see many of your favorite bands. Local duo The Bird and the Bee played a barter show for the Echoplex last week after they used the venue to shoot the video for their new single, the David Lee Roth tribute “Diamond Dave” there. The Echoplex, an offshoot of the Echo, is a very evocative space that features a lot of breathing room, low ceilings, two bars, and a big screen in the back which shows movies such as Brian De Palma’s The Phantom of the Paradise. Unfortunately, the venue’s charm was marred by a bunch of L.A. scenesters who couldn’t shut their loud mouths or look up from texting long enough to listen to a single note of the mellow band’s performance, even during a cappella moments.
Vocalist Inara George and seated multi-instrumentalist Greg Kurstin were backed by a trio of dulcet-voiced singers, including show opener Juliette Commagere. The ultra-precise production of the band’s recorded tunes was loosened up for the live performance, with Kurstin staying at the keyboards and George only occasionally grabbing a live guitar. Even though this setup may not have been ideal for the duo’s songs, George’s jokey rapport with the crowd and the band’s lighthearted approach made for a fun if not completely revolutionary live experience.
Many of the band’s best songs, “Again and Again,” “Fucking Boyfriend,” “Polite Dance Song,” and “Love Letter to Japan,” brought loud applause, and were accompanied by synchronized dance moves from all of the singers. All the Hall & Oates fans in the house were elated when the band broke into a stellar cover of “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do),” after which George hilariously broke down the language in the song’s title. After a modest hour-long morsel of a set, the band returned with another killer cover, this time The Bee Gee’s “How Deep Is Your Love,” which showcased how deeply lovely George’s voice really is. Sure, it would have been cool to see The Bird and the Bee with a full band setup (especially live drums), but perhaps the duo’s jazzy cocktail style is better suited to this kind of elegantly loose performance.
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January 10th 2011
1:51pm
whats the idea..very evocative space that features a lot of breathing room, low ceilings, two bars, and a big screen in the back which shows movies such as Brian De Palma’s The Phantom of the Paradise. Unfortunately, the venue’s charm was marred by a bunch of L.A. scenesters who couldn’t shut their loud mouths or look up from texting long enough to listen to a single note of the mellow band’s performance, “Rolex Prices”