With their vintage tour bus in the parking lot, it appears the members of Blind Pilot have stepped away from the ambitious style of touring via bicycle like they did on their 2007 West Coast tour. But then again, Carrboro is quite the distance from their hometown of Portland, and with several new members in tow, the comfy blue bus is probably just what they needed.
What once began as a two-man show has expanded into a robust sextet that features almost twice as many instruments. From banjo, upright bass, vibraphone and trumpet, the members of Blind Pilot have crafted themselves into a talented indie-folk outfit, their craft further evidenced by the group’s infectious performance Tuesday night at the Cat’s Cradle.
Cotton Jones, the duo comprised of Michael Nau and Whitney McGraw, started the night with dulcet, nod-worthy indie-pop that served as an appropriate intro to Blind Pilot. From McGraw’s role on keys and to Nau’s folk-twinged vocals, the band delivered a set of pleasing songs that drew strongly on the duo’s fine-tuned harmonizing.
By the time the “acoustic and trumpet” group arrived on stage before a mixed bag of an audience, the air was already thick with anticipation. With an abundance of youthfulness, the band launched into a wonderfully balanced set that pulled key songs from both of its albums, including the instrumentally-layered“The Colored Night” and the energized feedback intro of “One Red Thread.”
From beginning to end, front man Israel Nebeker kept things lighthearted with his jovial banter. Add in multi-instrumentalist Dave Jorgensen’s effervescence while switching between soaring trumpet and keyboards, Kati Claborn’s dulcimer and banjo contributions and the band’s overall genuine humility, fans, young and old, were treated to true authenticity.
By the time the band finally honored the request for the crowd-favorite cover of Gillian Welch’s “Look At Miss Ohio,” there couldn’t have been a disengaged soul left in the packed club.
As if their emotive and high energy hour and half performance wasn’t already enough, Blind Pilot broke a few more hearts when it returned with a three-song encore, the final being an acoustic rendition of “3 Rounds and a Sound.” When the band took its instruments to the floor among the crowd, they asked for silence, but welcomed sing-a-longs, as the crowd gently pushed their way to the front of the stage. With band and fans united, it was a necessary way to end a such a passionate night, with Blind Pilot tenderly leaving a few pieces of themselves to those at the Cradle. Looks like they’ll be returning, and hopefully sooner rather than
later.
-Elizabeth Byrum
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