The Decemberists @ The Metro, Sydney 19.01.10

As someone who starts most days with The Infanta blasting from the stereo in order to shake the cobwebs and head once more into the breach, it's hard to overstate the excitement of filming The Decemberists' recent Sydney gig at The Metro. (Let's gently put aside the fact that they did not play that song live, and move swiftly along. Disappointed? You have no idea.)

Fans are drawn to a band like The Decemberists for a multitude of very personal reasons. While they do not often speak directly to the human condition, they sweep us along with such an array of characters, so richly drawn and acutely observed, that we feel enmeshed in the fabric of their lives, which in turn reflect on our own experiences.

Musically, whether snared by the rich, faux-medieval hooks or rousing chamber pop choruses, the incredibly dense, multi-layered narratives of Colin Meloy's lyrics or just the downright soul-stirring rhythm section that constructs crescendos like no other, this is a band that has carved out a unique place in people's hearts.

And if all that isn't enough, they do a brilliant cover of The Go-Betweens 'Bye Bye Pride'!

WATCH NOW!

Paul Hannigan