Grizzly Bear- 4/2/13 Pabst Theater

Grizzly Bear co-lead vocalist, Ed Droste addressed the crowd at the nearly sold-out Pabst Theater recalling the band's history playing the historic venue, "Finally, we have some people on the third level," he exclaimed to the cheering crowd from the balcony, revisiting the band's earlier gigs at the beautiful Pabst (a lower-level only show with Beach House in the fall of 2007 (which I passed on to see Wilco at the Eagles Ballroom), and a $15 concert in the spring of 2010 that filled the venue through the mezzanine level- which I attended).  Droste, fellow vocalist, Daniel Rossen, and bass player Christopher Taylor, must have thanked the Pabst staff at least a dozen times during their set, recalling the kindness of people at the venue during their earlier performances.  As other reviews (JSOnline an ExpressMilwaukee) have mentioned, you couldn't ask for a nicer group of gentlemen to perform a concert for you, based on their stage presence, humility, and earnest and sincere nature.

Grizzly Bear is a band who has arrived as a major force in the modern indie rock scene.  Both their music and their stage show has progressed considerably in recent years.  2012's Shields was a frequent forerunner on critics' best of lists, and rightfully so... the album is incredibly diverse, musically challenging, and tremendously innovative.  Playing off of incredibly precise musicianship and vocal harmonies that will give you goosebumps when you hear them live, the boys in Grizzly Bear delivered a beautifully powerful record.  How can one top that?  Well, by putting on a stellar stage show, of course.

Shields tunes like "Sleeping Ute," "Yet Again," and "Gun Shy" came across as classic numbers, fitting alongside older Grizzly Bear staples like "Cheerleader" and "Two Weeks."  After seeing Grizzly Bear previously, I can say that this band has clearly taken the leap into the upper-tier of modern rock outfits.  Beautifully arranged lights and rotating visuals enhanced the visual experience of the music.  Unlike younger acts that I've seen recently (Local Natives and Alt-J), Grizzly Bear's experience and more mature stage presence, and more developed musical style helped propel their show.

This one was a classic-- a visual and sonic tale of a band ready to take the next step up the ladder in the indie rock scene.


Grade: A