LSF @ MidEast Downstairs

This is how Les Savy Fav chose to greet us downstairs at the Middle East last Saturday night.

Singer Tim Harrington stared quietly at us through his DIY mask and began an almost imperceptible whistle into the microphone. Then he would turn it on the crowd for us to howl a responding whistle. Soon as the howling had reached sufficient crescendo, Seth Jabour jangled out some opening guitar notes to powerup the rest of the band into What Would Wolves Do? from their latest release.

The crowd had shuffled and waved around in hesitant motions for Phil and the Osphers. With some of the kinks worked out, and a soaringly jubilant mood through label mates Passion Pit's set, the masses were now clearly ready for that which they had come for : the great Les Savy Fav's show. Tim Harrington immediately said that he was noticing a different Boston tonight. "Did you guys turn 18?" Tim questioned. We hit it off instantly. They took off rocketing through an early set of Reprobates Resume, Patty Lee, and Yawn, Yawn, Yawn. Climbing out of the bursting with joy pit in front of the stage, Tim reassured us that it was ok to bare our souls, that this was a safe place. The band fit perfectly into the low ceiling space downstairs with its spaced out echo effect guitar washing around over a pulsing low end jams. Tim held court from atop a center stage monitor, gazing down at a dance happy Boston crowd composed of hipsters, Central Sq. locals and college kids.

I think the band was surprised by our excitement over their band, beloved as they are, and this made for a great show. Through costume changes, Tim could be found everywhere, and he would find you no matter where you were. At one point I had retreated out of the pit to the back of the room to talk to Rachel, and all-of-a-sudden, I noticed Tim was sitting down on the stairs right next to us. He was having a conversation with Syd Butler about which song they wanted to do next. Matter settled, they announced that it was off their very first record, and it was Scouts Honor. The energy from through the roof as Tim bellowed: Now hold my hand!/We're on stable land! / This plane gonna land! / In the middle of tha ocean! And then we all screamed out L, E, S, S, A, V, Y, F, A, V over and over. For the encore they kicked off 3 more songs with Who Rocks The Party, Tim in a cute white dress and pink underwear which he flashed liberally. Closing on the shout-along Je t'aime, he stalked out along the length of the bar and hopped off at the back by the doors, where he promptly turned around and as the lights came up, he proceeded to shake hands with every one he passed thanking them for coming. I was astounded at the personal touch.

My apologies for weak digital blurry pictures. Vague understanding and exact order of setlist not remembered

• What Would Wolves Do?
  
• The Equestrian
  
• The Year Before The Year 2000
  
• Reprobates Resume
  
• Yawn, Yawn, Yawn
  
• Patty Lee
  
• We Will Make A Lover Out of You
  
• Raging in the Plague Age
  
• One to Three
  
• Rome
  
• Scouts Honor
  
• Sweat Decends
  
• Fading Vibes
  

• Who Rocks The Party
  
• Je T'aime