well, i did it again.

Bishop Allen/Page France
8/7/2007
Hi-Dive, Denver, CO

Oh, Hi-Dive, why do you hate me so? I had been looking forward to seeing Page France for weeks. It's fairly standard for shows at the Hi-Dive to start around 9:00; it's also fairly standard that three bands, sometimes four on weekends, play at any given show. I arrived at the venue at 9:40, heard house music and sensed the flurry of action that indicates a set change. I thought I'd played it perfectly, showing up just in time for Page France's set. My stomach dropped when I moved into view of the stage as I realized that Michael Nau was packing up. I'd missed their set completely... so, after missing half of Dan Deacon's set a few weeks back, missing an entire Blitzen Trapper set last week, and now last night's debacle, the score stands: Hi-Dive: 3, Bridget: 0.

It was a 16+ show, so the fence was up. I debated whether to hang back by the bar or duck into the fenced-up crowd. Opting for the latter, I headed for the stage, dodging scene kids left and right. It was a good choice - Bishop Allen puts on a hell of a live show. Multi-instrumentalist Christian Rudder was apparently under the weather, but you couldn't tell - he played his guitar, ukulele & trumpet with much gusto.



I was surprised at how bold Justin Rice's voice was in the live setting; he sings rather tenuously on much of Bishop Allen's studio material, almost Conor Oberst-like in some instances. He's got a great voice, very expressive and the sort where you're reminded of another singer but can't quite place your finger on who it is.



A big part of Bishop Allen's charm is the mish-mash of different styles they adopt: the sweet lilting of Butterfly Nets, the mariachi-tinged Like Castanets, the manic bounciness of Middle Management, and the epic swell of Flight 180, to mention a few. At the end of the night, Bishop Allen had played a poppy and delicious sixty-minute set that seemed over in the blink of an eye. The band performed with infectious enthusiasm and by the last song the entire crowd was singing, dancing, and smiling. They're coming back in October supporting John Vanderslice. Oh, I am so there.





setlist:

The Same Fire
Rain
Busted Heart
Click, Click, Click, Click
Like Castanets
The Monitor
Things Are What You Make Of Them
Middle Management
Clementines
Choose Again
Butterfly Nets
Flight 180
-a rare Hi-Dive encore!-
Charm School
These Arms Of Mine (Otis Redding)