It’s hard to believe it’s been a full decade since Clap Your Hands Say Yeah released their unforgettable, and still phenomenal, self-titled debut album. I was about 15 years old at the time, just beginning to discover music blogs, as well as the depths of the indie music world. Seeing the reaction and general excitement that blogs had surrounding the release made me interested in this world, and was a definite influence in starting a blog of my own. So in many ways, I owe a lot of what has happened with We All Want Someone to Alec Ounsworth and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.
This summer Clap Your Hands Say Yeah toured in support of their debut album, playing the entire album from start to finish, and then finishing off with other favorites from their career, both old and new. They stopped in to play the album in early August, with a pair of sold out shows at Bowery Ballroom.
I caught the second show, which was opened by Wilmington, Delaware group Teen Men, the new group of The Spinto Band’s Nick Krill (as well as former members Joe Hobson and Albert Birney, along with Krill’s wife Catharine Maloney) who also happens to play guitar and keyboards these days in Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. These days, Ounsworth is the only original member from the band’s debut album days, with the rest of the group filled out by Matt Wong (bass) and Patrick Berkery (drums)
Getting to hear the album live from front to finish, as it was meant to be hard was simply unforgettable. Ounsworth and co didn’t cut any corners, delivering the songs in their full glory, such as the tiny piano in the introductory “Clap Your Hands!,” or the harmonica in “Details of the War.” It was special to share this moment with so many fans, because everyone in attendance wanted to be there, and new the album, word from word, riff by riff. It was a nostalgia trip for sure, in the best way possible.
I was worried about a loss of energy once they ran through the album, but I was impressed that both the crowd and the band kept it going until the very end. It helped that they returned with great performances of under-appreciated cuts like “Some Loud Thunder” and “Satan Said Dance.” as well as a cover of Morrissey’s “Disappointed.”
It was a memorable evening, one that I’m able to relive over and over thanks to our friends at NYCTaper, who recorded the entire show and have made it available to download for free.
Find the setlist posted below, along with photos from both Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Teen Men.
1. Clap Your Hands!
2. Let the Cool Goddess Rust Away
3. Over and Over Again (Lost and Found)
4. Sunshine and Clouds (And Everything Proud)
5. Details of the War
6. The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth
7. Is This Love?
8. Heavy Metal
9. In This Home On Ice
10. Gimme Some Salt
11. Upon This Tidal Wave of Young Blood
12. Into Your Alien Arms (Alec acoustic)
13. Some Loud Thunder
14. Coming Down
15. Disappointed (Morrissey Cover)
16. Satan Said Dance
Encore:
17. As Always
18. Adam’s Plane
Teen Men:
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah:
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