While the opening band for Fleet Foxes, Espers (a band from the Philadelphia area), was largely forgettable, this made the entrance of the folk rock quintet even more sweet. Though not a band with the extensive catalogues of others, Fleet Foxes certainly entertained with a scintillating mix of deep cuts, new songs, and favorites.
Highlights included ragged wood, white winter hymnal, mykonos, and blue ridge mountains (played during the band's brief encore performance). Yet the concerts most notable facet came in the form of the expert nonchalance of their instrumentation. Seamless switching between instruments all the while maintaining their distinct harmony, the band surpised the audience with quality musicianship, if not a subtle feeling of ennui; "it's throat coat tea with whiskey" lead singer Robin Pecknold remarked to the crowd as he sipped from a mug. Over all the band's performance was excellent, yet left many feeling slightly distant from the band, almost to the point of making the concert seem surreal.
Dreamy harmonies on whimsical/thoughtful lyrics and the mind altering beats were certainly enough to satisfy despite some minor disappointments (length of the show was hamstring-ed by the bands compact catalogue of songs, and the distracting audio problems experienced by some members). Certainly I'd see them again.