Folk group Fleet Foxes’ ease at melding voices together is a unique treasure to hear live as the ballads led audience members to ascension during a June 24 performance at the Firefly Distillery in North Charleston.
With clear skies and a summer buzz in the air, concert goers prepared to see the band by laying out blankets and grabbing snacks from local vendors.
Seattle-based Fleet Foxes took to the stage, including drums, guitars, bass, an upright bass, mandolins and a two-person brass section.
The band’s acoustic and a cappella introduction set the tone for a pleasant summer night. With stills of nature shots and gentle pulses of vibrant colors on the screen behind the band, the stage production set the tone for a peaceful show.
Descriptive lyrics paired with the comforting atmosphere was a perfect environment to hear the folk band.
Midway through the show, the band’s brass section took charge, creating a crescendo in “Third of May / Ōdaigahara.” What began as all the instruments bursting into random sound, the song melted into a beautifully mixed instrumental, leaving the audience in awe.
Covering Big Red Machine’s “Phoenix,” allowed for the band’s guitarist Christian Wargo to take center stage for a bit.
Fan favorites such as “White Winter Hymnal” and “Mykonos” kept the momentum of the show going. Once the first chords were struck for these two pieces, fans flocked to the stage to get closer — both physically and emotionally.
Towards the end of the set, all the band members left the stage other than lead member Robin Pecknold.
Pecknold took this opportunity to sing a soft ballad to a quiet yet attentive crowd.
Once the rest of the band returned to the stage, it played the final song, incorporating the two-person brass section with the melodic plucking of the strings and rhythmic beating of the drums.
The band was grateful for the crowd and thanked them repeatedly before exiting the stage.
Pecknold returned for a finale, performing a solo song, “Blue Spotted Tail.” The plucking simplicity left the crowd quiet and hanging on every note and word that passed through Pecknold’s vocals.
After finishing the solo, the rest of the band and Uwade, a New York-based singer-songwriter, appeared on stage to perform the final piece. Her emotive voice easily evokes heartfelt feelings within the soul, pairing well with the mellow band.
Finishing the show with “Helplessness Blues,” the full finale was spectacular. With a Norah Jones-esque static and buzz coursing through the air, a floating feeling was instilled in the audience.
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