Beirut, Gabriel and the Hounds
Tuesday, October 25 at The National
The first time I heard Beirut was my freshman year at VCU. Something about the then one-man project’s sound seemed to encapsulate the fullness of life. And so, at every party my friends and I held that year, someone invariably pulled out a guitar near the end of the evening so we could belt “Postcards from Italy” at the top of our lungs. Most of us were old friends from Newport News, a city almost entirely devoid of show venues.
When Beirut began their tour this year at the NorVa, they had recently put their LP The Rip Tide to bed for its August release. Hearing their first live performance of these songs was electrifying, especially with moments like Condon playing a piano in front of a live audience with “Goshen.” Imagine my surprise when Zach Condon, singer/multi-instrumentalist/messiah of Beirut, announced at that Norfolk concert that he had chosen the venue because he had lived in Newport News as a kid. For a fellow Newport Newsian like me, this was just too much.
Beirut, Gabriel and the Hounds
Tuesday, October 25 at The National
The first time I heard Beirut was my freshman year at VCU. Something about the then one-man project’s sound seemed to encapsulate the fullness of life. And so, at every party my friends and I held that year, someone invariably pulled out a guitar near the end of the evening so we could belt “Postcards from Italy” at the top of our lungs. Most of us were old friends from Newport News, a city almost entirely devoid of show venues.
When Beirut began their tour this year at the NorVa, they had recently put their LP The Rip Tide to bed for its August release. Hearing their first live performance of these songs was electrifying, especially with moments like Condon playing a piano in front of a live audience with “Goshen.” Imagine my surprise when Zach Condon, singer/multi-instrumentalist/messiah of Beirut, announced at that Norfolk concert that he had chosen the venue because he had lived in Newport News as a kid. For a fellow Newport Newsian like me, this was just too much.
In October, after touring the states and Europe, the gypsy-influenced Beirut returned to the Old Dominion to play The National. Opening for the band was Brooklyn indie act Gabriel and the Hounds. The guitar/drum duo started out with a promising number that sounded like a cross between The Black Keys and Neil Young’s recent Le Noise album. Unfortunately, the group then played a number of indistinguishable indie blues rock numbers that seemed to bore most in the audience.
Finally it was Beirut’s turn. After spending five months on the road, the group had tightened up their act and seemed more comfortable onstage. The six-person lineup charged through the set list, punctuating Condon’s crooning voice and mellow accordion with blasts of brass. Richmond’s plaid masses knew every word to songs like “Elephant Gun” and “Postcards.” And those who haven’t heard “Santa Fe” live have missed out—this version is infinitely better than the studio recording, which features a weird electric keyboard percussion loop.
While the band may have seemed more polished, they still had their unrehearsed moments. Halfway through their set, Condon held up a large plank of wood that read “The Condon Family.” For those unfamiliar with Newport News, there is a large, volunteer-built playground in Huntington Park called Fort Fun. Those who helped build the playground had their names etched into planks around the park, so I assume his parents must have volunteered during construction.
Aside from presenting tokens of his Virginia past, Condon’s attractiveness also sparked attention. “My labia is burning!” shouted one aroused female behind me.
Sporting a tighter performance, Beirut’s Richmond show displayed a band at the top of its game. If you still want to catch them live and don’t mind a burning labia, Beirut will be touring through much of the northeast and south before heading to Australia and Japan mid-December.
Words by Rich Griset
Beirut Images by Kristianna Smith
