Seraphina Lotkhamnga on April 16th, 2012

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Who: Andrew Bird at the Outdoor Theatre
In 3 or Fewer Words: Strings in sunshine.
Memorable Because: As the crowd thickened, an enthusiastic fan ran up to the stage and screamed to his friend, “Is this the year 2006?” Andrew Bird, who had played Coachella in 2007 because of his surging popularity after the release of 2005’s “Armchair Apocrypha,” was back with his multitude of talents, and festival goers were glad to see him return. Known for frequent rearrangements of his own songs in a live setting, Bird’s talents on the violin and the guitar (and his perfect-pitch whistling) made for a sublime soundtrack for the sunny afternoon. Opening with “Eyeoneye” off his latest record “Break It Yourself,” the set started in a subdued manner but quickly transformed into a sophisticated swirl of orchestrations. Bird made to sure to keep it light and fun, too, by covering Kermit the Frog’s “Bein’ Green” (presumptuously inspired by his contribution to “The Muppets” soundtrack, “The Whistling Caruso.”) By the time “Fake Palindromes” and “Plasticities” rolled around, people were head banging to the sweetest of string melodies.
What I’d Tell My Friends Who Were at Martin Solveig: Why you spent a beautiful afternoon inside a dark tent is beyond my comprehension. Only real instruments could have solved your problem.
– S.L. (Concert photography by Scott Dudelson)