Pedro the Lion

Recently on a comeback trail, Pedro the Lion is an indie rock band that was big for over a decade before taking a temporary (which ended up being an extended) break in 2006. Now that they’re back, however, the band hasn’t really skipped a beat, and that’s because the band’s front man, David Bazan, has been the key cog in the machine since its inception.

Watching them live, you’re transported back to those early Seattle days where music was really raw, unmistakably original, and impossible to put a true label on. A Pedro the Lion show is sort of like R.E.M. meets a toned-down Soundgarden, and the fans in the audience are definitely more of the coffee shop variety rather than the Headbangers Ball variety.

This means you can just sit and enjoy the show, without having to worry about any rowdiness knocking you out of your element…or out of your senses. Bazan has a lot of great tracks that he cycles through while playing, including some covers and some tracks that might not have made an album.

“Control” is a great tune that the band always manages to play, and it sounds great in an indoor arena. David’s deep, rich voice carries in a live theater and really makes you respect live music that isn’t auto-tuned in the studio.

David Bazan has a voice that is as mournful as it is soulful; it is as if the wisdom of an old man were seeing the world again through young eyes. This combination is strikingly beautiful within his indie rock songs, and also makes his concert experience something intimate and memorable.

Eyes closed, totally in the moment, David knows that the magic of his performance is in his voice, which waltzes through songs such as “Hard to Be”, “Wolves at the Door” and “Impermanent Record” with grace. The guitar tracks never dominate or mask the simple perfection of David’s voice and instead gently encase his beautiful lyrics.

Aware of the many fans he has acquired over the last two decades, David frequently includes songs from his time with other bands such as Pedro The Lion, and The Headphones in his performances. The consistency of David’s style means that his newer solo work complements the older favourites that the crowd always goes crazy for. It would be a real shame to miss out on David Bazan while he’s touring. For a night of genuinely great music, go and see him live.