Grizzly Bear and the LA Philharmonic split a bill at the impressively designed Walt Disney Concert Hall. You must see this monstrosity designed by Frank Gehry. I swear there is not a single right angle inside or outside, and I’m willing to wager that it was constructed with stealth technology.The LA Philharmonic played the first set, and the clarity delivered by the venue is phenomenal. It’s easy to realize that no medium (be it vinyl, CD, or reel-to-reel) really does a symphony justice. Selections of their performance were pieces chosen as influences by Grizzly Bear.

Setlist:
Boccherini (arr. Berio) – Ritirata notturna di Madrid
Britten – Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes
Stravinsky – Firebird Suite (1919)

After an intermission, Grizzly Bear took the stage. Their vocal harmonies sounded fantastic; however, the venue wasn’t very generous to the electric guitar. At times it seemed a bit confined for the concert hall, which distorted the sound. I was unaware that the bass player for Grizzly Bear is quite the multi-instrumentalist. He jumped seamlessly between electric bass, flute, clarinet, high note vocal harmony, and accordion. On a few of the tunes, he distorted the clarinet so that it was actually the bass.

Setlist:
Easier
Alligator
Lullabye
Little Brother
Service Bell
Marla
Knife
Deep Blue Sea
Colorado
On a Neck
While You Wait for the Others
E:
Shift
He Hit Me

I was a bit disappointed that the LA Philharmonic didn’t join Grizzly Bear for any numbers, but this one-of-a-kind show in a one-of-a-kind venue is one to be remembered for some time.

P.S. Click here to check out Frank Gehry’s architectural works.