While much of the city was still recovering from the long weekend, a special show was taking place at House of Blues last night.
For a little more than an hour, Beirut captured a filled room with its Balkan sounds, a complex cross of today’s '80s-influenced indie rock and Eastern European world music.
It’s rare that a band without a guitar can do this, but with an accordion, a three-piece brass section (which included a rotation of trumpet, flugelhorn, tuba, trombone, and french horn), drums, and bass, Beirut proved that you don’t need the typical band configuration.
Beirut is largely the brainchild of Zach Condon, the lead singer and principal songwriter, who graciously thanked the audience throughout the night as he shuffled between ukelele, fugelhorn, and keyboard.
But what makes the band so unique and memorable is the mix of accordion and horns, which echoed through the concert hall with a gusto and clarity rarely heard in a rock venue.
The band leaned heavily on its most recent album, The Rip Tide, but included songs from the previous two full lengths and EPs as well.
