Sufjan ushers inThe Age of Adz
concert review by aaron schrank
I was lucky enough to see Sufjan Stevens on Saturday night at the Wiltern. He came on strong with his Age of Adz material, with costumes, light design and video to reinforce the album’s apocalyptic aesthetic. Sufjan presented his new stuff with a “bear with me” attitude, calling Adz “the psycho-babble of his brain” and providing an in-depth explanation of the role artist Royal Robertson played in the inspiration of his latest work.
The usual standing-room-only floor space of the Wiltern was set with rows of chairs, bringing a strange sense of order to the venue I’m used to seeing filled with frenzied swarms of fans, standing elbow to elbow and peppered with cell phone lights, fist pumps and plumes of smoke. The supportive crowd sat quietly, showing their appreciation at appropriate intervals.
While the set began with “Seven Swans” and ended with “Chicago”, Sufjan made it clear he was there to present The Age of Adz in all its glory, and he did so. He also played two tracks from the All Delighted People EP, announcing ‘Here’s one to cleanse your palates,” before performing “Heirloom”.
After escorting us on the strange and exhilarating journey through The Age of Adz, Suf threw everyone who’s been waiting to see him for years a bone by pulling out some old fan favorites in the encore.
While I would have loved to see Sufjan dig deeper into his older albums, it was understood that a hodgepodge of his material would have distracted from the attention-demanding and idiosyncratic experience of Adz. The performance enhanced my appreciation for the new album, as Sufjan was truly able to showcase his masterwork in its best light.
Here is the complete Set List from last night’s show:
Encore:
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