Fitz and the Tantrums put on one my favorite concerts of 2011. That show, at the Vogue in Broad Ripple, was a sweaty 60 minutes of throwback soul elation and community. Fitz, Noelle, and the crew were like the best party band ever, so I had high hopes going into Saturday night’s show at Old National Centre. What a bummer it was, then, that the majority of the night felt like an exercise in climbing a mountain that had no peak. The energy was there, but the sound wasn’t — and that was the core problem.
I don’t know what the person running the sound was hearing, but the mix was off the entire set. Fitz and Noelle’s vocals were drowned out by the synths and rhythm section, the horn player sounded sharp all night, and the harmonies just didn’t mesh like they’re supposed to. The passion and performance in songs like Sweet Dreams, Fools Gold, and LOV occasionally overcame the audio issues, but that happened too infrequently. I still dig their songs; the sound just let them down.
On the more positive side, opener Capital Cities blew the doors off the Egyptian Room. Their 45-minute set was a blast — positive, contagious energy that made you feel alive. Farrah Fawcett Hair, I Sold My Bed But Not My Stereo, Kangaroo Court — they all worked. By the time they reached their closer, hit single Safe and Sound, the good vibes had taken on a life of their own. When the song morphed into an extended rave-up, it was impossible not to bounce and smile. Special shout out, too, to trumpet player Spencer Ludwig. He was the secret sauce that took the band to another level.
Were you there? What did you think of the show?