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Friday
July 22, 2005
SGN.org
Volume 33
Issue 29

Saturday, Nov 21, 2009 11:41

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Beck boogies down with enthusiastic, sold out Paramount crowd

Beck boogies down with enthusiastic, sold out Paramount crowd
by Albert Rodriguez - SGN A&E Writer Beck July 15 @ the Paramount Theatre If you were in need of a dance fix, Beck was ready to hook you up with a boogie remedy Friday night at the Paramount Theatre. The SoCal hipster, in town to delight a sold out crowd of fun-seeking weekenders, twisted and turned his way to a remarkable performance that highlighted every album in his funky-cool portfolio. Opening with "Clap Hands," a bonus track found on the special edition of this year's Guero, Beck stood content and bright eyed in a marshmallow white suit and a colorful, retro skinny tie. He moved on to "Black Tambourine," also on the new CD, as a wall-size projection screen behind him flashed graphics like those seen in early morning dance clubs. He sprayed snippets of "Que Onda Guero" into the mix, then motored through "Devil's Haircut," from his Grammy-winning Odelay, and a more recent cut, the electro-rap number "Hell Yes." Beck's 90-minute set was a bouncy, yet sophisticated, bravado of pop with fresh squeezes of hip-hop, folktronica and synth-rock. The pumped up audience absorbed the thirtysomething's dazzling artistry and dorky-cute stage persona. At 5' 7", I was barely able to see the tip of Beck's head due to the main floor's ballroom-style layout (no seats). So forgive me if I leave out some of the show's theatrics or on stage antics. Not everything had a 2005 timestamp on it. Beck dipped into 1998's Mutations for a terrific solo rendition of "Nobody's Fault But My Own" and reached back to 1994's Mellow Gold for a huge sing along session of "Loser." From 1999's shimmery Midnite Vultures, Beck played a rockabilly version of "Sexx Laws," complete with a dueling banjo session, and the whimsical "Debra," which he injected with Seattle map findings such as "Northgate Mall" and "Aurora Avenue." A surprise addition to the set were two tracks from Beck's heart-sunken Sea Change, "Guess I'm Doin' Fine" and "The Golden Age." Zigzagging through his illustrious catalog, Beck flexed his talent on newer cuts like "Girl," "Rental Car" and "Earthquake Weather," a song about living in the sweltering California heat, while plucking old favorites like "The New Pollution" and the turntable-assisted "Where It's At," a well-received tune that really infused the inner fiesta in everyone, including those who shied away from getting down earlier in the program. There was even a smile and liberated spirit that spilled out from a guy who said hasta la vista, baby to his nagging girlfriend. Her loss is another honey's gain because that boy was damn cute, and a far out dancer. In an interesting portion of the show, Beck's six-piece band assembled themselves around a dinner table and clinked silverware to half-full water glasses. Kind of weird, but ear-isistably neat-o, the unit provided a superb background to an unplugged segment of "Clap Hands." For a one-song encore, Beck jammed sensationally to "E-Pro." Opening act McRorie, a multi-tasked solo act, got the crowd fired up with his unique set of rock-rap bangers. Wearing a black kilt, knee-high socks and white tank top, the red, droopy-haired entertainer performed original songs and a few covers, including Beastie Boys' "Fight for Your Right (To Party)" and the Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight." While he gave me a good chuckle, he'd fare better as a comedic sidekick in a touring festival than a true musically billed artist. I didn't catch any of Le Tigre's set, as I was backstage meeting Beck (see "The Music Lounge" - this issue).