Beirut: Brighter and Cleaner
by GabyRipples on 9/23/11Terminal 5 - New YorkYou have not heard Beirut until you have heard them live. The horns are bright and clear, the drums sound deeper, richer, and the energy is spectacular. Terminal 5 was the perfect venue - loved the flashing strings of lights above them adding to the festival atmosphere. Almost felt like being in a town square with an amazing band. A little crowded since it was sold out, but it's Beirut, so what do you expect? And two perfect encores. Laetitia Saedier was lovely, and I already loved Stereolab so I was looking forward to her set, but she did have the problem of her songs often sounding very similar to each other, and hard to distinguish. And the only Stereolab song she played was an early one I didn't know, but that's hardly a complaint. She was a pleasant opener, but I wish she'd been a little more energetic in her performance to better warm up the venue for the amazingness to come.