James Mercer of the Shins. Photo: Kelly A. Swift, for the Orange County Register
For nearly an hour Saturday evening, James Mercer led the Shins through a set that was the perfect setup for what was to come on the main stage throughout the rest of the night.
Bringing an inviting spirit and a fantastic group of players to the Coachella table, the group’s blend of rock, pop and spacier styles really filled the great wide outdoors of the main area of the Empire Polo Field.
In the current Shins lineup, Mercer has found a supporting cast capable of fully extending the magic of the band’s recordings into this concert setting. In particular, the lead guitar work of Jessica Dobson (Beck, Deep Sea Diver and a recording artist in her own right) as well as drummer Joe Plummer really stood out.
Along with the obvious delight in hearing them perform a magical version of Neil Young’s gem “Helpless” on a perfect night (no wind, no sun!), highlights came via the group’s terrific new album Port of Morrow, an epic 10-song collection that was explored with a sense of fun and high adventure.
“Simple Song” with its driving, bright and infectious spirit got many on their feet and dancing, while on the decidedly sad song “It’s Only Life” Mercer’s wonderful tenor often stretched into a gorgeous falsetto for full effect. The set seemed to end as fast as it started, though, with the Shins playing the lushly arranged title track from the latest disc.
Following the Shins (and serving as the main warm-up act for Radiohead), Bon Iver played a 55-minute set that showcased the group’s blend of folk, alt-country and indie sensibilities as the faithful, crowded close to the Coachella Stage, cheered.
Singer-songwriter-guitarist Justin Vernon, surrounded on stage by mini street lamps, displayed a musical style that often would find a quiet folk song grow into a neo-grunge roar. Elsewhere, tinges of jazz crept in as horn solos were used to enhance songs. The stunning opener “Perth” (with its amazing guitar line and hushed intro layered with Vernon’s falsetto vocals) was my favorite offering of his set, but “Holocene” reached an almost similar depth.
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Coachella 2012: the Shins, Bon Iver light up the night in anticipation of Radiohead is a post from: Soundcheck