The Avett Brothers had an incredibly uplifting performance at Hill Auditorium yesterday evening. The two lead singers and brothers, Scott Avett on the banjo and Seth Avett on the guitar, make up the core of the larger band. The group exhibits a hybrid of genres, considered anywhere between folk rock and bluegrass.
The repertoire of the Avett Brothers includes a refreshing combination of songs which entail the whole band, as well as folkier pieces that highlight just the two brothers and their own acoustic accompaniment. In Hill Auditorium, the band filled the stage in its entirety, with extensive choreographed lighting, which danced upon the performers and the audience alike. This concert seemed to market the band in a more poppy sense, with high volume projection, and great jumping energy from every performer, dancing their way through each successive song. I realized that I associate the Avett Brothers with calm guitar and friendly lyrics; a certain settledness inherent with simple folky arrangements. However, it was exciting instead to experience the band with such overflowing energy, equivalent to that of a rock concert, yet with an arrangement of jiving string instrument players instead of electronics.
It was nice to realize how excellent each musician is live, void of intonation issues, and with voices that retain such pure, full quality. These aspects were especially heightened in the perfectly resonate hall that is Hill Auditorium. On some of the slower tunes, which really focused on the vocal harmonies between the two brothers, I found myself in awe of the rawly honest texture of each of their voices. Though brothers, Seth and Scott have perfectly complimentary voices, different in their tones and ranges, but similar in their casual friendliness. It is rare to find popular musicians who can bring even more to their live singing performances, especially when dancing is incorporated, than exists in their already ideal recordings.
But what pulled at my heart most was the overwhelming humbleness of the group. Though often with sad and contemplative lyrics, each song never fails to instill hope in the listener with upbeat acoustics and interesting harmonies. When the band performed Through My Prayers, but first introducing it as a song about goodbyes, the sweetness of the group and audience really connected as the lyrics, “If you have love in your heart let it show while you can,” were delivered. Presented as the song’s moral, the audience immediately started clapping in the middle of the piece, in kind agreement with the statement. This is the epitome of the atmosphere at the concert – really serving as a celebration of love and life.
The Avett Brothers closed a packed concert of 22 songs modestly with Hand Me Down Tune, a relaxed song about songs. The audience stood clapping ecstatically, for what seemed like minutes, as the final piece came to a close. Yet the encore was worth the wait, as they performed three additional songs. I walked away from a night with the Avett Brothers feeling mightily revitalized with a fresh spark of energy, as only such fantastic, relatable, and upbeat live performers can do.
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Eva Roos is a senior at the University of Michigan, receiving a Major in Art & Design with Minors in Environment and Music.
