Friday 02/02/07 The Decemberists @ The Leadmill, Sheffield

With The Decemberists’ themes of street urchins, wartime soldiers and period characters, there’s something which does not quite fit the archaic act into tonight's setting of Sheffield Leadmill. As a voice bellows over the PA "now look around the theatre, look at the architecture, the people who have come before you" a member of the crowd shouts "It's a ****ing shithole!"  Something suggests The Decemberists' traditional values may be lost on tonight's audience.
 
So as the band begin with the first track from the latest album, 'The Crane Wife 3' it comes as no surprise that the set moves off to a shaky start. Even throughout 'The Landlord's Daughter' as lead singer Colin Meloy attempts to shift the crowd, inviting them to stomp to the song's rhythm, the onlookers are slightly shy, with the audience and band quite hesitant to react to one another. It is not until 'Summer Song' that Meloy begins to show enthusiasm exchanging friendly banter with the audience as the band slowly come into their own. The Decemberists have often stated that their enjoyment of live shows comes from gaining something different from each audience and this is obvious to see on stage as each member has their personal reaction to the songs performed. If it’s not the guitarist creating mimes in relation to each line then it's the keyboardist at the opposite side of the stage secretly smiling as she counts down the beats to her improvised solo.

But also together they connect magnificently - especially with the onstage partnership of Meloy and drummer, John Moen as they joke to one another. Better still, the band's movement through songs felt continuously natural as many members switch effortlessly between instruments and glide into songs expanding their four full length albums. The emphasis was naturally on 'Crane Wife' ,yet the display of previous favourites was also justified as they highlighted earlier hits from 'Castaways and Cutouts', and 'Her Majesty, The Decemberists.'