The New Pornographers showed aspiring bands just how music should be played, as they delivered their best for 100 minutes to an enchanted crowd.

Supporting them throughout their Australian tour was Brisbane band Little Scout.  A good foil for the headline act, Little Scout deliver sweet pop tunes which use layered instrumentation to compliment singer Melissa Tickle’s delicate yet definite voice.  “Dead Loss” grows from an insistent percussion base with an almost honky-tonk piano line to a multi-instrumental accompaniment, but never overwhelms the favourable simplicity of the song.  The male/female shared chorus of “Paper Aeroplane” is charming, but fails to win an audience impatiently counting the minutes until AC Newman and Neko Case take the stage to do the same thing.

The New Pornographers take to the stage with a minimum of fuss, and immediately begin a setlist so full of exceptional songs, it is almost an embarrassment of riches.  Having never seen the band play live, I was intrigued and slightly apprehensive to see how their famously densely layered songs would translate outside the confines of the studio.  However this was a mislaid fear- whilst cello and violin lines are replaced by keyboard, the signature complex harmonies are pitch perfect, and even more astounding. 

The exceptionally generous set is understandably reliant upon songs from 2010 release Together, however does not sacrifice on offerings from previous releases.  “The Laws Have Changed” from Electric Version differs from the traditional sound of the band, with a slightly more rambunctious tone, and more instances of solo vocal offerings.  This is excellent as it showcases Neko Case for the true chanteuse that she is.  If anyone in the audience wasn’t already a committed Case fan, then they would almost certainly be converted.  She has a magnetic presence- a blend of almost goofy enjoyment, professional perfectionism and effortless cool.

Equally brilliant is leadman Carl “AC” Newman who delivers some of the best stage banter I have ever been privileged to witness. Deftly switching from a story about manta rays being a cure for jetlag, Newman launches into “Twin Cinema”, dedicating it to the fish.  “Sing Me Spanish Techno” is one of the strongest examples of the all-in vocal approach the band is so famous for.  Newman provides the root for the harmonies from Case and keyboardist Katherine Calder, and the live reproduction of this harmonies allows the audience to really appreciate the intricate arrangement.

The middle section of the set showcases newer tracks, with lead single “Your Hands (Together)” performed with more volume and attitude.  This enhances a song I had previously dismissed as one of the weaker releases, as the intensity suits the relative simplicity.  Whilst “Moves” is expectedly enjoyable, I was particularly grateful for the surprise inclusion of the final track on Together, “We End Up Together”.  The contemplative acoustic opening builds continually, with the string section contributions replaced by electric guitar.  The instrumental development is matched with vocals, climaxing in the chant of “We End Up Together”. It’s one of the most tender moments of the night and shows their versatility beyond layered pop.

The absence of Dan Bejar from the touring line-up sadly meant tracks such as “Silver Jenny Dollar” were missing, however their perfectly shambolic encore quickly allowed the audience to forget.  Responding to an audience request, Newman attempted to play “Miss Teen Wordpower” despite claiming to not remember the chords, and Case forgetting the words.  This lead to joking amongst band members that they should instead just take requests from any band, given their complete inability to remember their own songs.  Queue riffs and introductions from AC/DC and Rush from drummer Kurt Dahle.

The band closed with “Execution Day”, leaving the audience feeling exhilarated and blessed to have been part of such a special event. The New Pornographers are a band which combines experience and expertise with a genuine enthusiasm which is so infectious, audience members feel as if they have stumbled in on the gathering of a particularly musically blessed family.