Megafaun – “Kaufman’s Ballad”

“I’m really glad I didn’t pay for the tickets to that shit,” she said walking out of Mercury Lounge on friday night, only minutes after an apparent gunshot rang out a block away.

Amazing how we perceive events so differently. Though my feelings towards Megafaun’s 2009 record Gather, Form & Fly are positive, my expectations for their concert were unreasonable. I expected to see a young band playing a solid set, but nothing totally mindblowing, especially after War On Drugs’ somewhat disappointing set. Growing more and more jaded by the day, and having seen one of the greatest live performances I’ve ever witnessed a day earlier (The Walkmen at The Bell House), it takes a lot to impress me. From start to finish, Megafaun’s set on friday night was a refreshing reminder of that feeling that engulfs you when your expectations are shattered and an artist grabs hold of your heart and injects it full of a beautiful passion. The bearded North Carolina trio played sun soaked American folk music often loaded with harmonies and jazz-inspired instrumentation. Their approach was fearless, taking chances with long instrumental buildups, as with set highlight “Impressions of the Past.” Humbled by the warm reception of the crowded room, they thanked the crowd repeatedly with an admirably genuine tone. Their first headline tour as a band, they clearly couldn’t be more grateful for even the slightest sense of success they’ve had. In a day in age where bands often find success rather rapidly thanks to a few friends and a sudden blog post before they’ve really hard to work at all, it’s too often that bands give off an air of entitlement while more talented bands who’ve worked their asses off go unacknowledged.

During their performance, Megafaun adventured outside the comfort of more direct folk with expansive funkified jams but never lost focus. Songs like the Bon Iver-sounding “Guns” show an immensely promising future for Megafaun. [Bon Iver's Justin Vernon was once a bandmate of the 3 Megafaun members in DeYarmond Edison].

Clearly, what I saw on friday night was a different performance than what the girl I had overheard had seen. Both of us in the same room watching the same thing with a completely different set of eyes, ears, tastes and emotional characteristics to effect our experience.

Megafaun will be playing at Brooklyn’s Union Pool tonight with the wonderfully talented Sharon Van Etten. I strongly recommend checking them out before they leave town.