Dirty Projectors returned with their new album Lamp Lit Prose on July 13 via Domino Records, just one year after releasing their self-titled album. While that album was, in essence, a solo album from frontman Dave Longstreth, Lamp Lit Prose was more of a return to the Dirty Projectors dynamic that fans have come to expect in recent years.
However, it was clear from their performance earlier this summer at both Governors Ball and Public Arts that the lineup had undergone some serious changes, with only bassist Nat Baldwin and drummer Mike Johnson returning to the band. Joining them were vocalists and multi-instrumentalists Maia Friedman, Felicia Douglass, and Kristin Slipp.
On November 19th the band closed out both a three-show run at Elsewhere (with two shows the day before) which also happened to be their final show of 2018. So it was safe to say that they had to end on a good note and that they did.
When I learned the lineup had changed earlier this year I was pretty shocked and worried about the dynamic of the band and what this would mean for the older songs: how would it sound, would they even play any old stuff? But all my fears were squashed when I saw them at Governors Ball and completely put to bed at Elsewhere, where the band sounded about as good as I can ever remember. Baldwin and Johnson hold down the rhythm section as tightly as ever, but it’s the added trio of Friedman, Douglas, and Slipp that adds so much to the band that allows the new material to shine but also breathes new light into some older Dirty Projector classics.
Opening with “About to Die,” I knew that we were in for a good night. From there Longstreth and the band ran through a good majority of both Lamp Lit Prose and Swing Lo Magellan as well as some epic renditions of tracks like “Two Doves” and “Temecula Sunrise,” with the talented Friedman totally taking over the former. The band was clearly in good spirits and genuinely seemed to enjoy their time together on this tour, which bodes well for the future of this band, which is great news for all of us.
Find the full setlist posted below, along with a photo gallery from their performance as well as Lower Dens, who performed as a trio and offered a selection of promising new songs.
Lower Dens:
Dirty Projectors:
Dirty Projectors setlist:
1. About to Die
2. Break-Thru
3. Useful Chamber
4. Two Doves
5. No Embrace
6. Beautiful Mother
7. What Is the Time
8. Just From Chevron
9. When the World Comes to an End
10. Cool Your Heart
11. The Socialites
12. Temecula Sunrise
13. That’s a Lifestyle
14. Rise Above
Encore:
15. Zombie Conqueror
16. Keep Your Name
17. Swing Lo Magellan
18. Right Now
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