Catholic girls know how to party

Somehow, last night during the New Pornographers' set, the subject of Catholic schoolgirls (and Catholic girls in general) came up. I believe it can be traced to Carl Newman's question, "What do people do here in Madison?" and the inevitable college crowd reply of "DRIIIINKIIIING!!!" Someone else yelled, "Capitol Brewery!" and Carl repeated, "Catholic school?" Sure, an easy mistake to make. The funny thing was, the front row was apparently chock full of Catholic schoolgirls. (I suppose I would have been another if CCD counted.) I don't think they were faking, because they all went absolutely apeshit when he said the magic words. This prompted crazy drummer Kurt Dahle to declare his intention to move to Madison.

Ah, but let me back up. What a great night of music at the Barrymore - a one-time-only bill of dios (malos), Matt Pond PA, and the New Pornographers. The New Pornos were finally making up their canceled Madison show from back in October, before which "John's appendix burst in anticipation." The Barrymore combined their show with the MPPA/dios (malos) bill to create a long, memorable evening under the twinkling ceiling stars.

Up first was dios (malos), a band I'd never experienced for myself, but always heard good things about from various music friends. I wasn't disappointed. The songs were energetic and catchy, and Anya and I found ourselves dancing along. They included some deliberately cheesy song transitions that probably translate better during a longer show, but still made me laugh. My enthusiasm was flagging slightly by the end of their set, but only slightly. I would not be averse to picking up an album.

Second on the bill was Matt Pond PA. Same deal - heard of them, but never heard them before. There were some hardcore MPPA fans standing next to me who knew all the words to every song, which was fun to watch. I had mixed feelings about the set. I really liked Matt's voice, but most of the songs were mid-tempo, and not knowing any of them beforehand made the majority of the set sound samey to me. I could definitely see the appeal though, and I'm willing to bet that if I knew the songs I would have appreciated them more. I liked the Canadian vibe - Matt mentioned that a couple years ago they toured with the New Pornos, and Carl Newman gave them shit for "all the Canada songs."

Speaking of Carl Newman, after MPPA it was finally his turn to play. (And taunt us about our healthcare system.) One of the things I noticed right away was how spare the New Pornographers setup was on the stage - few monitors and amps, few pedals. Just the six-piece band, come to rock. No Dan Bejar or Neko Case last night, but it didn't stop them from doing songs like "Jackie Dressed in Cobras," and "Bones of an Idol." Thank goodness. Kathryn Calder did an admirable and unassuming job filling in the female vocals, although Neko is such a strong personality and stage presence that I'd bet a show with her is a bit of a different animal. Nevertheless, I think the New Pornos are really Carl's band, and Carl was awesome. I'm a relatively novice New Pornographers fan, but Twin Cinema was one of my favorite albums of 2005. Between Anya (who only knows Electric Version) and me, we had nearly all the songs covered! Even the songs I didn't know were great, but I adored "Twin Cinema" and "Sing Me Spanish Techno" ... and if there was a particular transcendental song, I think it was "The Bleeding Heart Show." The last part of that song gave me one of those coveted concert moments when you just feel the magic all around. The triggers are different for everyone, but I think all lovers of live music know what I'm talking about. This was my first time seeing a New Pornographers show, but I don't think it will be my last.