Andrew Bird et Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Seeing Andrew Bird is a spiritual experience--there's no better way to put it. Few artists craft a live show so meticulously and deliberately, but with Bird, everything from the lights to the stage positioning to the way the songs progress throughout the set illustrates just how carefully this man plans his concerts. What's so remarkable about seeing Andrew Bird perform is that he's the rare artist for whom you don't need to come in with a wish list of songs. For his most popular tracks, his live arrangements are reimaginations that sound only subtly like their recorded versions, and so are really new experiences entirely. But his commitment to carefully organized live compositions ensures that even songs you've never heard before are just so incredibly gorgeous and delicate that nothing falls flat--everything pleases the crowd. He's an artist that even casual fans can enjoy live, because one doesn't expect you to know the words and sing along or move with his cues; instead, you allow yourself to soak in the sonic sounds of a man who, quite simply, knows music. Whether Andrew Bird is layering his sounds with loop pedals to fill the room or crowding his small folk group around a single microphone, you will not be disappointed by what this man has to offer. He has created a sound so distinctly his own that I can't imagine any other artist rivaling what he does on the stage. If he comes around, you have to find a way to get to the show.

To be honest, it is quite sad and a bit embarrassing to say that my generation (the millennials) do not appreciate classical music as much as they should. There is this apparent stuffiness that is included with the idea of attending a classical music concert; that it will be dependently boring. But if you get the opportunity to see a great orchestra, in a great venue, it is absolutely life changing. It becomes more than just a show, it becomes a full experience that you will always look back on and truly appreciate all that it gave you.

As you take your seat, you can see the orchestra already set up, except the chairs are empty, and then the lights dim a little bit, and the musicians start to file in, with the last person being the director. The orchestra gets settled in, and starts to tune up, and then the conductor calls everyone to order, and then it starts. The strings start to vibrate and fill the entire venue, and suddenly you are completely surrounded by the music. It hits your mind and your soul, and you fall under an inexplicable spell. Completely entranced, you lose yourself in the absolute beauty until you are snapped back to reality at with the applause of the ending of the show.