The Decemberists • July 24, 2024 • Sandy Amphitheater
Reviewed and Photographed by Lily Rutherford
In support of their newest album, As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again, The Decemberists embarked on the 36-show A Peaceable Kingdom tour across the United States. Their Utah stop was at the Sandy Amphitheater on July 24. The Sandy Amphitheater was a perfect venue for the Portland-based band, as it embraced their folky sounds with the surrounding trees and mountains. The outdoor venue felt light and airy, supporting the bands playing within it and immersing the audience into the experience, deepened by the forest cut-outs set behind the band on stage and moody lighting.
As the band entered the stage, the audience rose from their seats, giving them loud cheers and applause, celebrating their arrival as they approached the end of the tour. They began their set with songs from their 2005 album, Picaresque, mixed in with songs from their newest album. Their setlist was clearly a balanced mix for fans both newer and older, as fans sang along with the songs.
The set began quite upbeat, before lead singer Colin Meloy began “The Burial Ground”, saying, “It’s appropriate we’re playing this song on Pioneer Day … because the whole thing’s about death. From what I understand.” The crowd roared in laughter, appreciating the nod to the state’s unique holiday, and they continued on with their set. Pianist Jenny Conlee really stood out throughout the show, switching between a keyboard and the accordion, as well as singing backup vocals. Her talent is unmatchable, and her stage presence is truly lovable, which the crowd agreed, as someone yelled out between songs, “I love you, Jenny!”
Before beginning “June Hymn”, a short instrumental played as stagehands brought out small strings of lights and three of the seven band members left the stage, leaving four to play an acoustic set. “We call this the ‘gazebo’ portion of the set, but the effect is lost in these Northern states where it doesn’t get dark … but you get the idea,” Meloy said, after finishing the first song of this portion. “June Hymn” is one of my personal favorite Decemberist songs, and it truly demonstrated the strength of the band within this performance and within this era.
The song, released in 2011, sounded even more beautiful live – it was a true demonstration of the band’s talent, even after over 20 years together. The Decemberists hold as much talent today as they did at their debut, and continue to get better; A Peaceable Kingdom was a fantastic example of how a classic band can hold their own within a changing world.
The set quickly picked up after the acoustic portion as the band dove back into their faster songs and the other members returned to the stage. They continued to mix in songs from their debut, and other older albums, with their newest release, providing a good variety of songs for the dedicated fans in the audience. “I Was Meant For the Stage” ended the setlist, which proved to be true, as the band played excellently throughout every song. As they walked off the stage, the crowd cheered, demanding an encore. It was clear that a good majority of the crowd were seasoned fans of the band, but those who weren’t before left the show impressed and loving the music they had heard that night.
The Decemberists returned in a storm of cheers to perform their encore, “Joan in the Garden”, from their new release. The song ends the new album and is twenty minutes long – some of the instrumentals were cut, but the beauty of the song shined through and yet again demonstrated the talent of the band. The climax of the song was beautiful and a perfect end to the night, as the band thanked the cheering crowd. This show was a perfect example of the talent that everyone within The Decemberists holds. The setlist perfectly showcased everyone’s individual talents, ranging from instrumental to vocal, as well as the composition of each and every song. They continue to be in their prime, even 21 years post-debut.
