crazy on you.

This past Sunday, the hubs and I saw The Decemberists at the Pageant. It was my anniversary gift to him: first anniversary = paper = concert tickets! It was a great early anniversary evening, although we were slightly bummed that they didn't play our favorite song.

I didn't see the Decemberists last time they played the pageant, although I do, unashamedly, have the gig poster from that evening:

{poster by Vahalla Studios}

I think I had tickets to that show, but was unable to attend for some reason, and this justifies my strict gig poster owning policy ... I did see them in 2005, at Mississippi Nights -- I randomly even still have that ticket stub in my wallet:

They played a great show that night -- when they played "The Mariner's Revenge Song," they brought out all of these great, seafaring-related props. It was fantastic.

Sunday night's show also rocked. Blind Pilot opened -- they were fabulous -- even hung around after their set and signed merchandise, including my copy of their album:

I feel like I just geeked myself out there by sharing that, but what can I say: I was excited! They were INCREDIBLY nice. They'll be in town in August, playing Off Broadway if you want to check them out.

The Decemberists show was, of course, awesome -- the first set was comprised of music from their latest album, "The Hazards of Love;" the second set featured music from previous releases and an AMAZING cover of Heart's "Crazy On You," thanks to the killer vocals of Shara Worden (of My Brightest Diamond) and Becky Stark (of Lavender Diamond). As Annie Zaleski notes in the RFT's A-Z blog, they DESTROYED this song:

Oh, and were you looking for crappy camera phone photos of the show, just like last time? Well, I aim to please:

{Blind Pilot, taken by yours truly}

{The Decemberists}

Need more?

• Slideshow here.
• More photos here
• Riverfront Times blog "A to Z" concert review here.
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch concert review.
• P-D blog "Rock Candy" pre-concert post on Blind Pilot.

Set list, via A-Z:

The Hazards of Love
Prelude
The Hazards of Love 1 (The Prettiest Whistles Won't Wrestle the Thistles Undone)
A Bower Scene
Won't Want for Love (Margaret in the Taiga)
The Hazards of Love 2 (Wager All)
The Queen's Approach
Isn't it a Lovely Night?
The Wanting Comes in Waves / Repaid
An Interlude
The Rake's Song
The Abduction of Margaret
The Queen's Rebuke / The Crossing
Annan Water
Margaret in Captivity
The Hazards of Love 3 (Revenge!)
The Wanting Comes in Waves (Reprise)
The Hazards of Love 4 (The Drowned)

Set Two:
"Grace Cathedral Hill"
"We Both Go Down Together"
"Culling of the Fold"
"Sleepless"
"July, July"
"Dracula's Daughter" > "O Valencia!"
"16 Military Wives"
"Crazy On You" (Heart)

Encore:
"Shankill Butchers"
"A Cautionary Song" + 'Spirit of Saint Louis' re-enactment by "The Decemberists Family Players" (in a word: awesome).