By Aaron Calvin
As one of the independent music world’s most critically acclaimed artists, Sufjan Stevens had a lot of expectations to live up to Sunday night at the Beacon Theater. However, the homecoming show of Stevens’ first tour in several years did nothing but exceed those expectations.
The Age of Adz, Stevens’ new album, is quite the departure from his usual acoustic guitar and banjo fare, replacing structured narrative with sound textures and, at some points, auto tuned vocals. Known for putting on powerful shows with his authentic sound, the audience seemed to enter the Beacon with an air of anticipation and slight apprehension.
The show began with an appropriately brief acoustic set by solo artist and Sufjan Stevens band member D.M. Stith, whose artful use of looping petals allowed him to add interest to his one man act by creating percussion and harmony by himself.
Steven’s and his band appeared on stage soon enough, clad in strange clothes. With the iconic angel wings of last tour on his back, Stevens picked up his banjo and started into a quiet rendition of “Seven Swans,” which exploded with a sound that was not on the original recording. As Stevens removed his jacket and the wings with it, it was clear to the crowd they were in for a whole new kind of Sufjan Stevens.
The show itself was a dazzling display of theatrical effects and detailed attention to a sound that was emotive yet succinctly performed. The performance included a wide array of visual effects that invoke the themes of Adz, apocryphal images derived from the artwork of Royal Robinson and back up dancers that doubled as singers of equal talent.
Despite the complexity of Stevens’ new album and the multitude of electronic sounds, each and every piece of the songs from the album was reproduced through multiple electronic instruments, a horn section, and two drum sets. Between the electronic songs, Stevens would play acoustic songs from his recent All Delighted People EP between songs, saying they were to “cleanse the pallet.” As the twenty five minute, multi-part song “Impossible Soul” was played, the audience could no longer stay in their seats as people stood to dance and bounce beach balls back and forth. The finale came in the form of fan favorite “Chicago” as balloons fell from the ceiling. Steven’s came out for an encore to perform some the most beloved songs from his past work.
“From fire will work of every man be shown its realness,” Stevens stated during the concert. Through the friction of the constantly moving band, the ecstatic crowd, and constant fanfare, Sufjan Stevens once again proved the realness of his work.
