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BEIRUT IN CONCERT:
Beirut combines orchestral pop with world music to create intriguingly complex songs that are also infectiously catchy. Bandleader Zach Condon helms everything from vocals to flugelhorn to bring a uniquely diverse sonic palette into each sugary-sweet pop confection. In concert he surrounds himself with top-notch musicians, who infuse the band's indie rock sounds with eclectic folk instrumentation. By incorporating so many different influences, Beirut makes their concerts feel like a globe-trotting adventure for ticket buyers, who can’t help but sing along to familiar favorites like “Elephant Gun” and “East Harlem”.
BACKGROUND SNAPSHOT:
Zach Condon was born in Albuquerque, NM in 1986 and raised predominantly in neighboring Santa Fe. Though his experience in jazz band taught him how to play trumpet and helped him gain an appreciation for complex musical expression, Condon dropped out of high school at 17. The budding prodigy was exposed to the diverse musical traditions of Europe on a soul-searching trip abroad, and he immediately began incorporating a wide range of international styles into his home recordings. Adopting the moniker Beirut, he released a collection of demos as his first full-length album Gulag Orkestar in 2006. The record became a surprise hit following the viral success of the music video “Elephant Gun”, leading Condon to put together a live band for an impromptu tour. The lineup stuck, and the group’s 2011 album The Rip Tide converted an entirely new segment of fans when the single “East Harlem” was featured on Pitchfork’s Best New Tracks. After a period of intense personal issues, Condon thrilled fans in 2015 with the announcement of Beirut’s fifth album No No No. As they continue to tour the world, Beirut seems destined to absorb the musical influences of every place they visit, incorporating each new sound into their signature chamber pop masterpieces.
Fantatstic and eclectic mix, great lineup with Owen Pallett who is in many ways an extension of Beirut. Great vibe and energy and a whack of 'encore' numbers that left out none of Beirut's broad repertoire. At times soulful and always musical!
Truly talented gents. Would see them again and again and waltz until my legs fell off. Favourite band hands down.
Concerts at Pheonix are always late (1 - 1:30 hrs) and the opening band plays for more than hour. Usually everyone is tired by the time the main band comes on the stage. Please take this to consideration. Thank you!
Having never heard of Owen Pallett before, I was thoroughly impressed with his show. Such a talented young man! Beirut was also absolutely stunning, and did not sacrifice any of their sound for performance. Truly lovely, with all the horns and strings, and everything, oh god, please come back next year.
Both Owen Pallet and Beirut were amazing. Both are unique and fabulous at what they do.
First time listening to The Dodo's. I decided not to listen to them before I went so I could enjoy what they had to offer live first. I wasn't dissapointed. Beirut put on a great show as well and really captivated everyone with thier assortement of instruments and played a great list of their stuff. Lots of songs from their recent "Rise of the Zapotec" album which was interesting and well played too. There are many bands that push the expectations of the crowd. Beirut accomplishes this, plus a little more.
Seeing Beirut live will go down as one of the best shows I've seen, and one of the greatest times I've ever experienced! From start to finish it was none stop hit after hit and they sounded great! They are one of the few bands I've seen that sounds the same if not better than on their albums. Jazzing up bass riffs and horn solos made it that much more enjoyable! I wish I could go back and relive the night over and over..... or wish it had never ended!
We drove to Toronto from Ottawa just to see this show, and we weren't disappointed. The band had great energy and they got better as the show went on. They performed a great encore highlighted by Nantes and The Prostitute From Marseille. The venue was nice too. Not really a bad place to stand in the whole place. Nice lounging area upstairs on the balcony where you can get seating if you arrive early enough.
This concert was amazing! I thoroughly enjoyed both the Dodos and Beirut. In addition to the great show they both put on, the Phoenix Concert Theatre was a great venue. I had never been there before and thought it perfectly suited to the stylings of the bands.
Zach Condon was drunk, but pretty swell nevertheless.
The show was impressive..well Beirut was impressive in and of themselves..great live! Great energy, so happy... But the Phoenix wasn't their venue..more appropriate of a rock band...come again! play massey hall..rooftop, courtyard..or just walk through the city..as per paris take away shows, no grundy sweaty bars, don't do them justice!
The show was crappy for a number of reasons. Beirut didn't have it's old world european/gypsy charm especially with the percussion. the guys playing the trumpet/trombone/tuba were all mediocre and it was just awkward and painful to see the singer wave his hand around as if he was european and feeling the music. I don't like Beirut anymore.
Absolutely astounding! Not only was the band amazing, but they got the crowd going far better than any band I've personally seen live. I've seen them each time they've come to Toronto and this was probably their best show yet.
I got the chills with almost every song and almost cried when they played Postcards from Italy. So good, I wished it wouldn't end. I especially loved how everyone onstage genuinely looked like they were enjoying the music.
Beirut was amazing!! Beirut's sound and arrangements were perfection. They sounded better than the record and made me fall in love with them all over again. I highly recommend seeing them live if you can. Its worth it.
Amazing sound, amazing band. The whole night was wonderful! They played all their best wonderfully.
Phenomenal evening. Before the first strains of the brass section, I thought maybe, just maybe Beirut had been upstaged by the awesomeness of The Dodos's expert fingerpicking and two drum kit +xylophone staccato assault ...I was wrong. Zach and his band have talent in spades...this was indeed the best performance and musicianship I have seen in this city this year. (*honorable mention to Bruce Peninsula) If the stage was big enough, I'm sure Zach would have invited everybody up to sing in unison like the past concert at The Danforth Music Hall. Apart from the always incessant chit-chat, the crowd were an enthused bunch, clapping and singing along as Beirut encouraged us from the stage...I actually got shivers, SHIVERS! during Nantes. Caribou Vibrations (Sept. 10), the ante has been upped!
Always crowd pleasing, Beirut is so enjoyable to experience live that even the drummer had a ridiculous grin the whole show. You get the impression that Zach and the rest are more just friends playing a party, than the major international talent they are. However, unlike many shows I've seen at the Phoenix, the mix was terrible. Clearly someone had the main focus on the trumpets which is fine if the rest of the instruments are clear and crisp as well. This was a rock mix doing its best to showcase many loud acoustic instruments including an amazing accordion which rarely sounded as powerful as I know it was being played. Vocals were ok, but very low pass filter and the backup vocals were non existent at times. All of this, or I was in a total acoustical black hole from where I was standing half way back and center. All in all, a fun show! Go if you get the chance.
Beirut came to stage like they were coming to a party, with a smile on their face and the expectation of having a good time. They all had great energy together, and Zach (led singer) was very much into his music and genuinely excited about this work. I am now an unconditional fan!
