Review: Gotye at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
“Why isn’t anyone dancing?” That seemed to be the sentiment shared among some of the younger fans in the audience as Gotye’s one-hour set wrapped up just after 10pm last night.
Originally slated for The Independent, the nearly sold out Bill Graham Auditorium brought a different vibe that showed some holes in the carefully choreographed playlist that was meant for a much more intimate setting. At one point Gotye, a.k.a. Wally De Backer, even commented, “We’re not sure how this song will do here but just bare with us…and please be quiet in the front so everyone can hear it in the back.”
Young and old, rockers, hipsters, men, women and fancy folk—count them all among the crowd. De Backer’s music appeals to diverse cross-section of music lovers, and it’s easy to see why. With comparisons that range from The Police to Kings of Convenience, his music has a lot to offer listeners beyond his catchy chart-topping single “Somebody That I Used to Know.”
Beyond the music, the stripped down stage design was complimented by an incredibly well done visual accompaniment of short animated films, each providing a unique storyline told by a different visual artist.
Whether or not you like Gotye’s music, or recent rise in popularity, their live performance was in many ways better than their studio recordings and shows that this is probably not the last time they’ll be visiting SF.
More photos from last night:
