Elbow lifts spirits in Los Angeles

July 22, 2009, at the Wiltern

By Melissa Bobbitt
Published: July 26th, 2009 | 12:05pm

No bones about it: Manchester's Elbow was made for L.A.’s the Wiltern. The band’s lush, dreamy oeuvre begged to reverberate off the art deco walls. It was then fitting that this show was the respite to a loftier opening gig on Coldplay's tour — it was here the band could shirk off comparisons and entertain without fear.

Too often, groups that demonstrate immensity in the studio cannot live up to their hype live. No sweat off Elbow's back. From the moment the warm brasses blared during "Starling" — off 2008's gorgeous The Seldom Seen Kid (Geffen) — and the stage burst into light, the mastery was evident.

It took the headliners themselves to prove the ticket price would be worth it, though. Elbow's leader, Guy Garvey, had apparently handpicked the others on the bill that included Jesca Hoop and Mellowdrone, but those acts failed to engage such a large audience. Hoop, alongside collaborator Nicole Eva Emery, seemed terribly shy as she muttered praise of the cozier Hotel Café venue and sang stereotypical "pretty girl with acoustic guitar" songs. Mellowdrone, alas, was more droning than mellow as the badn careening through skuzzy Helmet meets H.I.M. meets Hollywood self-loathing tunes.

The disappointing sets made Elbow all the more immaculate, a British regality even. Though he looked like your average barfly, Garvey's tender voice and affability helped him win over legions of fans. He'd shake his microphone like a maraca, then fiddle away at an acoustic within the same song. He was like the bloke in the bar who'd spin yarns and then buy everyone a round. And so, the Wiltern repaid him by "oh"-ing heartily during the rocking number "Grounds for Divorce" and remained attentive during even the most subtle parts of the show.

Later, Garvey and his mates gathered at keyboardist Craig Potter's station for a brief toast, then transitioned into the silken grooves of "Weather To Fly." What followed was "One Day Like This," a ballad of biblical proportions that practically turned the concert hall into a church of good vibes. Garvey whisked two tween fans, introduced as Cameron and Miranda, from the pit to conduct the audience and revel in the joy of the music.

It was tempting to depart after that spectacle because it was so life-affirming and beautiful — what could possibly top it in the encore? The three-song sendoff was indeed serene, closing with the Sigur Ros–like "Scattered Black and Whites,” but it was a little anticlimactic.

Nevertheless, Elbow assured through their powerful performance and cordial banter, that they aren't just riding Chris Martin's coattails in their long-overdue conquest of America.

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