Monsters of Folk Play Epic, Piano-Bashing Set

Posted on Nov 18th 2009 11:42AM by Stephen Dowling
Comments

The Monsters of Folk fanbase are clearly missing a trick. Every time this four-strong folk-rock outfit takes to the stage, they should be met a chrous of b-movie screaming and a mass stampede for the exits. That'll learn them for calling themselves "monsters."

The supergroup -- Conor Oberst, Jim James (My Morning Jacket), M. Ward and Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes) -- were at London's Troxy venue, a recently restored Art Deco cinema, for what turned out to be an epic set. They might have only penned one album under their monsterish name (this year's self-titled debut) but the show easily surpassed the three-hour mark, with Oberst, James and Ward all dipping into their respective back catalogues.

It might have been short on crushed buildings, devoured trains or angry hooting directed at pesky biplanes, but the Monsters turned out a dazzling set. In fact, the only victim seemed to be the band's piano.

After a set which neared the 40-song mark, Conor Oberst climbed on to the drum kit being hammered by honorary Monster Will Johnson and started kicking his heels at various bits of the kick as the band careered through the last song. It clearly wasn't enough. Jumping off the riser, as the rest prepared to troop off, Oberst managed to push the band's upright piano off its perch. So much more impressive than bashing a guitar against an amp, Spinner agrees.

They've come for our pianos, people. Be afraid. And somebody call the military.